We formerly sent Noah and Abraham, and we established in their posterity the gift of prophecy, and the scripture: and of them some were directed, but many of them were evil-doers.

Afterwards we caused our apostles to succeed in their footsteps; and we caused Jesus the son of Mary to succeed them, and we gave him the gospel: and we put in the hearts of those that followed him compa.s.sion and mercy: but as to the monastic state, they inst.i.tuted the same (we did not prescribe it to them) only out of a desire to please G.o.d; yet they observed not the same as it ought truly to have been observed. And we gave unto such of them as believed their reward: but many of them were wicked doers.

O ye who believe in the former prophets, fear G.o.d, and believe in his apostle Mohammed: he will give you two portions of his mercy, and he will ordain a light wherein ye may walk, and he will forgive you; for G.o.d is ready to forgive, and merciful: that those who have received the scriptures may know that they have not power over any of the favours of G.o.d, and that good is in the hand of G.o.d; he bestoweth the same on whom he pleaseth; for G.o.d is endued with great beneficence.

CHAPTER LVIII.

ENt.i.tLED, SHE WHO DISPUTED; REVEALED AT MEDINA.

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

NOW hath G.o.d heard the speech of her who disputed with thee concerning her husband, and made her complaint unto G.o.d; and G.o.d hath heard your mutual discourse: for G.o.d both heareth and seeth.

As to those among you who divorce their wives, by declaring that they will thereafter regard them as their mothers; let them know that they are not their mothers. They only are their mothers who brought them forth; and they certainly utter an unjustifiable saying and a falsehood: but G.o.d is gracious and ready to forgive.

Those who divorce their wives by declaring that they will for the future regard them as their mothers, and afterwards would repair what they have said, shall be obliged to free a captive, before they touch one another.

That is what ye are warned to perform: and G.o.d is well apprised of that which ye do.

And whoso findeth not a captive to redeem, shall observe a fast of two consecutive months, before they touch one another. And whoso shall not be able to fast that time, shall feed threescore poor men. This is ordained you, that ye may believe in G.o.d and his apostle. These are the statutes of G.o.d: and for the unbelievers is prepared a grievous torment.

Verily they who oppose G.o.d and his apostle shall be brought low, as the unbelievers who preceded them were brought low. And now have we sent down manifest signs: and an ignominious punishment awaiteth the unbelievers.

On a certain day G.o.d shall raise them all to life, and shall declare unto them that which they have wrought. G.o.d hath taken an exact account thereof; but they have forgotten the same: and G.o.d is witness over all things.

Dost thou not perceive that G.o.d knoweth whatever is in heaven and in earth? There is no private discourse among three persons, but he is the fourth of them; nor among five, but he is the sixth of them; neither among a smaller number than this, nor a larger, but he is with them, wheresoever they be: and he will declare unto them that which they have done, on the day of resurrection; for G.o.d knoweth all things.

Hast thou not observed those who have been forbidden to use clandestine discourse, but afterwards return to what they have been forbidden, and discourse privily among themselves of wickedness, and enmity, and disobedience towards the apostle? And when they come unto thee, they salute thee with that form of salutation wherewith G.o.d doth not salute thee; and they say among themselves, by way of derision, Would not G.o.d punish us for what we say, if this man were a prophet? h.e.l.l shall be their sufficient punishment: they shall go down into the same to be burned; and an unhappy journey shall it be!

O true believers, when ye discourse privily together, discourse not of wickedness, and enmity, and disobedience towards the apostle; but discourse of justice and piety: and fear G.o.d, before whom ye shall be a.s.sembled.

10 Verily the clandestine discourse of the infidels proceedeth from Satan, that he may grieve the true believers: but there shall be none to hurt them in the least, unless by the permission of G.o.d; wherefore in G.o.d let the faithful trust.

O true believers, when it is said unto you, Make room in the a.s.sembly; make room: G.o.d will grant you ample room in paradise. And when it is said unto you, Rise up; rise up: G.o.d will raise those of you who believe, and those to whom knowledge is given, to superior degrees of honour; and G.o.d is fully apprised of that which ye do.

O true believers, when ye go to speak with the apostle, give alms previously to your discoursing with him; this will be better for you, and more pure. But if ye find not what to give, verily G.o.d will be gracious and merciful unto you.

Do ye fear to give alms previously to your discoursing with the prophet, lest ye should impoverish yourselves? Therefore if ye do it not, and G.o.d is gracious unto you, by dispensing with the said precept for the future, be constant at prayer, and pay the legal alms; and obey G.o.d and his apostle in all other matters: for G.o.d well knoweth that which ye do.

Hast thou not observed those who have taken for their friends a people against whom G.o.d is incensed? They are neither of you, nor of them: and they swear to a lies knowingly.

G.o.d hath prepared for them a grievous punishment; for it is evil which they do.

They have taken their oaths for a cloak, and they have turned men aside from the way of G.o.d: wherefore a shameful punishment awaiteth them; neither their wealth nor their children shall avail them at all against G.o.d. These shall be the inhabitants of h.e.l.l fire; they shall abide therein forever.

On a certain day G.o.d shall raise them all: then will they swear unto him, as they swear now unto you, imagining that it will be of service to them.

Are they not liars?

Satan hath prevailed against them, and hath caused them to forget the remembrance of G.o.d. These are the party of the devil; and shall not the party of the devil be doomed to perdition?

20 Verily they who oppose G.o.d and his apostle shall be placed among the most vile.

G.o.d hath written, Verily I will prevail, and my apostles: for G.o.d is strong and mighty.

Thou shalt not find people who believe in G.o.d and the last day to love him who opposeth G.o.d and his apostle; although they be their fathers, or their sons, or their brethren, or their nearest relations. In the hearts of these hath G.o.d written faith; and he hath strengthened them with his spirit: and he will lead them into gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to remain therein forever. G.o.d is well pleased in them; and they are well pleased in him. These are the party of G.o.d: and shall not the party of G.o.d prosper?

CHAPTER LIX.

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

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

WHATEVER is in heaven and earth celebrateth the praise of G.o.d: and he is the mighty, the wise.

It was he who caused those who believed not, of the people who receive the scripture, to depart from their habitations at the first emigration. Ye did not think that they would go forth: and they thought that their fortresses would protect them against G.o.d. But the chastis.e.m.e.nt of G.o.d came upon them, from whence they did not expect; and he cast terror into their hearts. They pulled down their houses with their own hands, and the hands of the true believers. Wherefore take example from them, O ye who have eyes.

And if G.o.d had not doomed them to banishment, he had surely punished them in this world: and in the world to come they shall suffer the torment of h.e.l.l fire.

This, because they opposed G.o.d and his apostle: and whoso opposeth G.o.d, verily G.o.d will be severe in punishing him.

What palm-trees ye cut down, or left standing on their roots, were so cut down or left by the will of G.o.d; and that he might disgrace the wicked doers.

And as to the spoils of these people which G.o.d hath granted wholly to his apostle, ye did not push forward any horses or camels against the same; but G.o.d giveth unto his apostles dominion over whom he pleaseth: for G.o.d is almighty.

The spoils of the inhabitants of the towns which G.o.d hath granted to his apostle are due unto G.o.d and to the apostle, and to him who is of kin to the apostle, and the orphans, and the poor, and the traveller; that they may not be forever divided in a circle among such of you as are rich. What the apostle shall give you, that accept; and what he shall forbid you, that abstain from: and fear G.o.d; for G.o.d is severe in chastising.

A part also belongeth to the poor Mohajerin, who have been dispossessed of their houses and their substance, seeking favor from G.o.d, and his good- will, and a.s.sisting G.o.d and his apostle. These are the men of veracity.

And they who quietly possessed the town of Medina, and professed the faith without molestation, before them, love him who hath fled unto them, and find in their b.r.e.a.s.t.s no want of that which is given the Mohajerin, but prefer them before themselves, although there be indigence among them. And whoso is preserved from the covetousness of his own soul, those shall surely prosper.

10 And they who have come after them say, O LORD, forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in the faith, and put not into our hearts ill- will against those who have believed: O LORD, verily thou art compa.s.sionate and merciful.

Hast thou not observed them who play the hypocrites? They say unto their brethren who believe not, of those who have received the scriptures, Verily if ye be expelled your habitations, we will surely go forth with you; and we will not pay obedience, in your respect, unto any one forever: and if ye be attacked, we will certainly a.s.sist you. But G.o.d is witness that they are liars.

Verily if they be expelled, they will not go forth with them: and if they be attacked, they will not a.s.sist them; and if they do a.s.sist them, they will surely turn their backs: and they shall not be protected.

Verily ye are stronger than they, by reason of the terror cast into their b.r.e.a.s.t.s from G.o.d. This, because they are not people of prudence.

They will not fight against you in a body, except in fenced towns, or from behind walls. Their strength in war among themselves is great: thou thinkest them to be united; but their hearts are divided. This, because they are people who do not understand.

Like those who lately preceded them, they have tasted the evil consequence of their deed; and a painful torment is prepared for them hereafter.

Thus have the hypocrites deceived the Jews: like the devil, when he saith unto a man, Be thou an infidel; and when he is become an infidel, he saith, Verily I am clear of thee; for I fear G.o.d, the LORD of all creatures.

Wherefore the end of them both shall be that they shall dwell in h.e.l.l fire, abiding therein forever: and this shall be the recompense of the unjust.

O true believers, fear G.o.d; and let a soul look what it sendeth before for the morrow: and fear G.o.d, for G.o.d is well acquainted with that which ye do.

And be not as those who have forgotten G.o.d, and whom he hath caused to forget their own souls: these are the wicked doers.

20 The inhabitants of h.e.l.l fire and the inhabitants of paradise shall not be held equal. The inhabitants of paradise are they who shall enjoy felicity.

If we had sent down this Koran on a mountain, thou wouldest certainly have seen the same humble itself, and cleave in sunder for fear of G.o.d. These similitudes do we propose unto men, that they may consider.

He is G.o.d, besides whom there is no G.o.d; who knoweth that which is future, and that which is present: he is the most Merciful; he is G.o.d, besides whom there is no G.o.d: the King, the Holy, the Giver of peace, the Faithful, the Guardian, the Powerful, the Strong, the most High.

Far be G.o.d exalted above the idols which they a.s.sociate with him!

He is G.o.d, the Creator, the Maker, the Former. He hath most excellent names. Whatever is in heaven and in earth praiseth him: and he is the Mighty, the Wise.

CHAPTER LX.

ENt.i.tLED, SHE WHO IS TRIED; REVEALED AT MEDINA.

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

O TRUE believers, take not my enemy and your enemy for your friends, showing kindness towards them; since they believe not in the truth which hath come unto you, having expelled the apostle and yourselves from your native city, because ye believe in G.o.d, your LORD. If ye go forth to fight in defence of my religion, and out of a desire to please me, and privately show friendship unto them; verily I well know that which ye conceal, and that which ye discover: and whoever of you doth this, hath already erred from the straight path.

If they get the better of you, they will be enemies unto you, and they will stretch forth their hands and their tongues against you with evil: and they earnestly desire that ye should become unbelievers.

Neither your kindred nor your children will avail you at all on the day of resurrection, which will separate you from one another: and G.o.d seeth that which ye do.

Ye have an excellent pattern in Abraham, and those who were with him, when they said unto their people, Verily we are clear of you, and of the idols which ye worship, besides G.o.d: we have renounced you; and enmity and hatred is begun between us and you forever, until ye believe in G.o.d alone: except Abraham's saying unto his father, Verily I will beg pardon for thee: but I cannot obtain aught of G.o.d in thy behalf. O LORD, in thee do we trust, and unto thee are we turned; and before thee shall we be a.s.sembled hereafter.

O LORD, suffer us not to be put to trial by the unbelievers: and forgive us, O LORD; for thou art mighty and wise.

Verily ye have in them an excellent example, unto him who hopeth in G.o.d and the last day: and whoso turneth back; verily G.o.d is self-sufficient, and praiseworthy.

Peradventure G.o.d will establish friendship between yourselves and such of them as ye now hold for enemies: for G.o.d is powerful; and G.o.d is inclined to forgive, and merciful.

As to those who have not borne arms against you on account of religion, nor turned you out of your dwellings, G.o.d forbiddeth you not to deal kindly with them, and to behave justly towards them: for G.o.d loveth those who act justly.

But as to those who have borne arms against you on account of religion, and have dispossessed you of your habitations, and have a.s.sisted in dispossessing you, G.o.d forbiddeth you to enter into friendship with them: and whosoever of you entereth into friendship with them, those are unjust doers.

10 O true believers, when believing women come unto you as refugees, try them: G.o.d well knoweth their faith. And if ye know them to be true believers, send them not back to the infidels: they are not lawful for the unbelievers to have in marriage; neither are the unbelievers lawful for them. But give their unbelieving husbands what they shall have expended for their dowers. Nor shall it be any crime in you if ye marry them, provided ye give them their dowries. And retain not the patronage of the unbelieving women: but demand back that which ye have expended for the dowry of such of your wives as go over to the unbelievers; and let them demand back that which they have expended for the dowry of those who come over to you. This is the judgment of G.o.d, which he establisheth among you: and G.o.d is knowing and wise.

If any of your wives escape from you to the unbelievers, and ye have your turn by the coming over of any of the unbelievers' wives to you; give unto those believers whose wives shall have gone away, out of the dowries of the latter, so much as they shall have expended for the dowers of the former: and fear G.o.d, in whom ye believe.

O prophet, when believing women come unto thee, and plight their faith unto thee, that they will not a.s.sociate anything with G.o.d, nor steal, nor commit fornication, nor kill their children, nor come with a calumny which they have forged between their hands and their feet, nor be disobedient to thee in that which shall be reasonable: then do thou plight thy faith unto them, and ask pardon for them of G.o.d; for G.o.d is inclined to forgive, and merciful.

O true believers, enter not into friendship with a people against whom G.o.d is incensed; they despair of the life to come, as the infidels despair of the resurrection of those who dwell in the graves.