Part 11

And the earth shall shine with the light of its Lord. And the book shall be placed, and the prophets shall be brought and the witnesses, and judgment shall be given between them with truth, and they shall not be treated unjustly.

And every soul shall be fully paid _the reward_ of what it hath done, and He well knoweth what they do.

And those who have disbelieved shall be driven in troops unto hell, until when they come to it, its gates shall be opened, and its guardians shall say unto them, ‘Did not Messengers from among you come unto you rehearsing the signs of your Lord, and warning you of the meeting of this your day?’ They shall answer, ‘Yea:’ (But the sentence of punishment[138] hath been justly pronounced against the unbelievers:)

It shall be said, ‘Enter ye the gates of hell to remain therein for ever:’ and evil shall be the abode of the proud.

And those who have feared their Lord shall be urged on in troops unto paradise, until when they come unto it, its gates are already opened, and its guardians say unto them: ‘Peace be on you! Ye have been good: therefore enter it to abide _therein_ for ever.’

And they shall say, ‘Praise be to God, who hath performed unto us His promise, and hath made us to inherit the land, that we may dwell in Paradise wheresoever we please; and how excellent is the reward of the workers!’[139]

And thou shalt see the angels encompassing the throne, extolling the perfection with the praise of their Lord. And judgment shall be given between them[140] with truth: and it shall be said,‘Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds!’

(xxxix. 67-75.)

XLVII.

Paradise shall be brought near unto the pious, _to a place_ not distant _from them, so that they shall see it_.

_And it shall be said unto them_, ‘This is what ye have been promised, unto every one who hath earnestly turned himself unto God and kept _His laws_,

Who hath feared the Compassionate in secret, and come with a penitent heart:

Enter it in peace: this is the Day of Eternity.’

(l. 30-33.)

XLVIII.

†Fairseeming to men is the love of pleasures from women and children, and hoarded riches of gold and silver, and pastured[141] horses, and flocks, and corn-fields. Such is the enjoyment of this world’s life! But God, goodly is the home with Him!

SAY, Shall I tell you of better things than these prepared in the presence of their Lord for those that fear [God]? Theirs shall be gardens beneath which rivers run, and in which they shall abide for ever, and stainless wives, and acceptance with God: for God regardeth His servants,

—Who say, ‘O our Lord, verily we have believed; forgive us then our sins, and keep us from the torment of the fire,’—

The patient, and the truthful, and the lowly, and the charitable, and they who seek pardon at each daybreak.

(iii. 12-15.)

XLIX.

†And repute not those slain in God’s cause[142] to be dead: nay, alive with their Lord, they are provided for;

Joyful in what God of His bounty hath vouchsafed them, and rejoicing for those that follow after them, but have not yet overtaken them, that on them no fear shall come, neither shall they grieve;

Rejoicing at the favour of God and His bounty, and that God suffereth not the reward of the faithful to perish.

(iii. 163-165.)

L.

Whosoever doeth the things that are right, whether male or female, being a believer,—these shall enter paradise, and shall not be wronged in the least degree.

(iv. 123.)

LI.

For those who have disbelieved in their Lord [is prepared] the punishment of hell; and evil [shall be] the journey.[143]

When they shall be cast into it they shall hear it braying,[144] while it boileth, well-nigh bursting with fury.

(lxvii. 6-8.)

LII.

If thou shouldst see[145] those who have offended[146] when they see the punishment![147]—for power belongeth altogether unto God, and God is severe in punishing:

When those who have been followed will declare themselves clear of those who have followed [them],[148] when they have seen the punishment, and the ties [that bound them together] shall be severed from them:

And those who have followed shall say, ‘O that there were for us a return _to the world_! then would we declare ourselves clear of them, like as they have _now_ declared themselves clear of us!’ After this manner will God show them their _evil_ works, for which [they shall pour forth] lamentations; and they shall not come forth from the fire.

(ii. 160-162.)

LIII.

And the Devil[149] shall say, when the matter shall have been determined,[150] ‘Verily God promised you the promise of truth;[151] and I promised you,[152] but I deceived you: yet had I no power over you;

But I only called you and ye answered me. Therefore blame not me, but blame your own selves. I am not a helper of you, neither are ye helpers of me. Verily I renounce your having associated me _with God_ heretofore.’

(xiv. 26, 27).

LIV.

Verily the hypocrites shall be in the lowest abyss of the fire, and thou shalt not find for them any defender.

(iv. 144.)

LV.

They[153] will ask thee respecting the Hour,[154] at what time is its coming fixed. SAY, The knowledge of it is only with my Lord: none shall manifest it in its time but He. It is grievous in the heavens and in the earth. It shall not come upon you otherwise than suddenly.

They will ask thee as though thou wert well acquainted therewith. SAY, The knowledge of it is only with God: but the greater number of men know not!

SAY, I possess not for myself _power to procure_ advantage nor _to avert_ mischief, save as God pleaseth: and if I knew things unseen, I should obtain abundance of good, and evil should not happen unto me. I am only a denouncer of threats _unto the unbelievers_, and an announcer of good tidings unto the people who believe.

(vii. 186-188.)

_PREDESTINATION._

LVI.

A soul cannot die unless by permission of God, according to a writing _of God_, definite _as to time_.

(iii. 139.)

LVII.

They say [whose companions were slain at the battle of Oḥod], ‘If aught of the affair had been _submitted_ to us we had not been slain here.’[155] SAY, Had ye been in your houses, those _of you_ who were decreed to be slain had gone forth to the places where they lie.

(iii. 148.)

LVIII.

Wheresoever ye be, death will overtake you, although you be in lofty towers. If good fortune betide them,[156] they say, ‘This is from God!’ But if evil betide them, they say, ‘This is from thee, _O Moḥammad_!’ SAY, All is from God. And what aileth this people that they are not near to understanding what is said _unto them_?

Whatsoever good betideth thee, _O man, it is_ from God; and whatsoever evil betideth thee, from thyself _is it_.

(iv. 80, 81.)

LIX.

†No soul can believe but by the permission of God.

(x. 100.)

LX.

†And whoso willeth taketh the way to his Lord: But ye shall not will it, unless God will it.

(lxxvi. 29, 30.)

LXI.

†Expend in the way of God, and throw not yourselves into destruction.[157]

(ii. 191.)

_ANGELS AND JINN._[158]

LXII.

They say, ‘The Compassionate hath gotten offspring.’[159] Extolled be His purity! Nay, _they are_ honoured servants.

They prevent Him not in speech,[160] and according to His command they act.

He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they shall not intercede

Save for whom He shall please, and they fear in dread of Him.

And him[161] among them who saith, ‘I am a god beside Him,’ that [angel] We will recompense with Hell.

(xxi. 26-30.)

LXIII.

†SAY, It hath been revealed to me that a company of the Jinn listened [to me] and said, ‘Verily we have heard a wonderful discourse[162]

Which guideth unto right: wherefore we believed in it, and we will by no means associate any one with our Lord....

We tried the heaven, but we found it filled with a mighty garrison and darting flames;

We sat on some of its seats to listen, but whosoever listeneth now findeth a darting flame in ambush for him.

We know not whether evil be meant for them that are on the earth, or whether their Lord intendeth for them a right guidance.

There are among us the good, and among us _those who are_ not so,—we are of various ways.

(lxxii. 1, 2, 8-11.)

_TRUE RELIGION AND FALSE._

LXIV.

Verily God commandeth justice and the doing of good and the giving unto the relation: and He forbiddeth wickedness and iniquity and oppression. He admonisheth you that ye may reflect.

(xvi. 92.)[163]

LXV.

†By the Night when she spreadeth her veil, By the Day when it appeareth in glory, By Him who made male and female; Verily your aims are indeed different! As then for him who giveth [alms] and feareth [God], And yieldeth assent to the Good, To him will We therefore make easy the path to happiness. But as to him who is covetous and bent on riches, And calleth the Good a lie, To him will We make easy the path to distress; And what shall his wealth avail him when he goeth down headlong? Truly man’s guidance is with Us, And Ours the next Life and this life Present. I warn you therefore of the flaming fire; None shall be burned at it but the most wretched,— Who hath called the truth a lie and turned his back. But the greatly God-fearing shall escape it,— Who giveth away his substance that he may become pure, And who [offereth] not favours to any one for the sake of recompense, But only as seeking the face of his Lord the Most High. And assuredly in the end he shall be well content.[1]

(xcii.)

LXVI.

†What thinkest thou of him who treateth the day of judgment as a lie? It is he who thrusteth away the orphan, And stirreth not [others] up to feed the poor. Woe, then, to those who pray, Who in their prayer are careless, Who make a show [of devotion], But refuse help [to the needy].[164]

(cvii.)

LXVII.

Your turning your faces _in prayer_ towards the east and the west is not piety: but the pious is he who believeth in God and the Last Day, and in the angels, and the Scripture, and the prophets, and who giveth money, notwithstanding his love _of it_, to relations and orphans, and to the needy and the son of the road,[165] and to the askers and for _the freeing_ of slaves, and who performeth prayer and giveth the [appointed] alms, and those who perform their covenant when they covenant, and the patient in adversity and affliction and in the time of violence. These are they who have been true: and these are they who fear God.

(ii. 172.)

LXVIII.

†He only shall visit the temples of God who believeth in God and the Last Day, and observeth prayer, and payeth the [appointed] alms, and dreadeth none but God: for these are among the rightly-guided.

(ix. 18.)

LXIX.

O ye who have believed, make not your alms of no effect by reproach and harm, like him who expendeth his wealth to make a vain show unto men, and believeth not in God and the Last Day. For his likeness is as the likeness of a smooth stone upon which was earth, and a violent rain hath fallen upon it, and left it smooth and hard. [Such] cannot have aught that they have gained, and God directeth not the unbelieving people.

And the likeness of those who expend their wealth from a desire of God’s being pleased, and from assurance on their part,[166] is as the likeness of a garden upon a hill, on which a violent rain hath fallen, and it hath produced its fruit twofold: and if a violent rain fall not upon it, a gentle rain _falleth_.

(ii. 266, 267.)

LXX.

If ye manifest alms, good will it be: but if ye conceal them and give them to the poor, it will be better for you; and it will expiate _some_ of your sins.

(ii. 273.)

LXXI.

A kind speech and forgiveness are better than alms which hurt[167] followeth.

(ii. 265.)

LXXII.

Revile not what they invoke in preference to God,[168] lest they revile God evilly without knowledge.

(vi. 108.)

LXXIII.

Turn away _evil_ by that which is better: and lo, he between whom and thyself [was] enmity [shall become] as though he were a warm friend:

But none is endowed with this[169] except those who have been patient, and none is endowed with it except he who is greatly favoured.[170]

(xli. 34, 35.)

LXXIV.

†If ye are greeted with a greeting, then greet ye with a better greeting, or at least return it: verily God taketh count of all things.

(iv. 88.)

LXXV.

†If there be any [debtor] under a difficulty [of paying his debt], let [his creditor] wait until it be easy: but if ye remit it as alms, it will be better for you.

(ii. 280.)[171]

_BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS._

LXXVI.

†Dispute not with the people of the Scripture[172] unless in the kindliest[173] manner, except against such of them as deal evilly [with you]; and say [unto them], We believe in that which hath been sent down unto us and [that which] hath been sent down unto you, and our God and your God is one, and to Him are we self-surrendered.[174]

(xxix. 45.)

LXXVII.

Verily those who have believed,[175] and those who have become Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whosoever hath believed in God and the Last Day, and hath done that which is right,—they shall have their reward with their Lord, and _there shall come_ no fear upon them, neither shall they grieve.

(ii. 59.)[176]

LXVIII.

Whoso desireth any other religion than El-Islám, it shall not be accepted of him, and in the world to come he [shall be] of those that perish.

(iii. 79.)

LXXIX.

The likeness of those who have disbelieved[177] is as the likeness of him who crieth out to that which heareth not [aught] save a calling and a voice. _They are_ deaf, dumb, blind: therefore they do not understand.

(ii. 166.)

LXXX.

[As to] the unbelievers, their works are like a vapour[178] in a plain, which the thirsty imagineth to be water, until when he cometh to it he findeth it not aught:[179] (but he findeth God there, and He fully payeth him his account: and God is swift in reckoning:)

Or, like darknesses in a deep sea, covered by waves over waves,—over them clouds,—darknesses one over another: when [one] putteth forth his hand he is not nearly able to see it. And unto whomsoever God giveth not light, he hath no light.

(xxiv. 39, 40.)

LXXXI.

Propound unto them as a parable two men, on one of whom[180] We bestowed two gardens of grape-vines, and We surrounded them with palm-trees, and put corn between them; each of the gardens brought forth its fruit, and failed not thereof at all;

And We caused a river to flow between them; and he had abundance. And he said unto his companion, disputing with him, ‘I am greater than thou in wealth and more mighty in family.’

And he entered his garden, being unjust to his own soul.[181] He said, ‘I do not think that this will ever perish,

And I do not think that the [Last] Hour will come; and if I should be taken back unto my Lord, I shall assuredly find a better [garden] than it in return.’

His companion said unto him, disputing with him, ‘Dost thou disbelieve in Him who created thee of dust, then completely fashioned thee into a man?

God is my Lord, and I will not associate any one with my Lord.

And why when thou enteredst thy garden didst thou not say, ‘What God willeth[182] [cometh to pass]: there is no power but in God?’ If thou seest me to be inferior to thee in amount of wealth and in number of children,

Perhaps my Lord may give me [what will be] better than thy garden; and may send upon [thine] thunderbolts from heaven, so that it shall become a smooth and slippery ground;

Or its water may become deep-sunk [in the earth], so that thou shalt not be able to draw it.’—

And his possessions were encompassed _with destruction_, and he began to turn down the palms of his hands for that which he had expended thereon; for it[s vines were] falling down upon its trellises; and he said, ‘O would that I had not associated any one with my Lord!’

And there was no party for him to assist him instead of God, nor was he able to defend himself.

In that case[183] protection [belongeth] unto God, the True; He is the best rewarder and the best giver of success.

(xviii. 31-42.)

LXXXII.

Thou shalt certainly find[184] the Jews and those who have attributed partners to God[185] the most violent of men in hatred of those who have believed; and thou shalt certainly find the nearest of them to friendship to those who have believed those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ This is because there are among them priests and monks, and because they are not proud.[186]

And when they hear that which hath been sent down unto the Apostle, thou seest their eyes overflow with tears because of the truth that they know: they say, ‘O our Lord, we believe, therefore write us down among those who bear witness.’

(v. 85, 86.)

LXXXIII.

The likeness of those who were charged to bear in mind the Law [of Moses], then bore it not in mind,[187] is as the likeness of the ass that beareth books. Evil is the likeness of the people who have charged the signs of God with falsehood: and God directeth not the unjust people.

(lxii. 5.)

LXXXIV.

[188] Among men are those who say, We believe in God and in the Last Day: but they are not believers.

They try to deceive God and those who have believed; but they deceive not any except themselves, and they know [it] not.

In their hearts is a disease, and God hath increased their disease, and for them [is ordained] a painful punishment, because they have charged with falsehood _the prophet of God_.

And when it is said unto them, Corrupt not in the earth, they reply, ‘We are only rectifiers.’

Assuredly they are the corrupters; but they know [it] not.

And when it is said unto them, Believe ye as _other_ men have believed, they say, ‘Shall we believe as the fools have believed?’ Assuredly they are the fools; but they know it not.

And when they meet those who have believed, they say, ‘We believe:’ but when they retire privately to their devils,[189] they say, ‘We _hold_ with you: we only mock _at them_.’

God will mock at them, and keep them in their exceeding wickedness, wandering about in perplexity.

These are they who have purchased error in exchange for right guidance: but their traffic hath not been profitable; and they have not been rightly guided.

Their likeness is as the likeness of those who have kindled a fire _in the dark_, and when it hath enlightened what is around them, God taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, seeing not.

_They are_ deaf, dumb, blind: therefore they will not turn back.

Or _they are_ like _people in_ a storm of rain from heaven, wherein are darkness and thunder and lightning: they put their fingers in their ears because of the vehement sounds of the thunder, for fear of death. And God encompasseth the unbelievers.

The lightning almost snatcheth away their eyes: whenever it shineth on them they walk in _the light of_ it, but when darkness cometh on them they stand still. And if God pleased He would certainly take away their ears and eyes: for God is all-powerful.

(ii. 7-19.)

LXXXV.

O ye who have believed, take not the Jews and Christians as friends. They are friends one to another; and whosoever of you taketh them as his friends, verily he is _of the number_ of them.

O ye who have believed, take not as friends those who have made your religion a laughing-stock and a jest, of those who have received the Scripture before you, and the unbelievers: (But fear God if ye be believers:)

And _those who_ when ye call to prayer make it a laughing-stock and a jest. This _they do_ because they are a people who do not understand.

(v. 56, 62, 63.)

LXXXVI.

†The servants of the Merciful are they that walk upon the earth softly; and when the ignorant speak unto them, they reply ‘Peace!’—

And they that pass the night worshipping their Lord, prostrate and standing;—

And that say, ‘O our Lord, turn away from us the torment of Hell: verily its torment is endless; verily it is an ill abode and resting-place!’—

And those who when they spend are neither lavish nor niggard, but keep the mean;—

And those who call on no other gods with God, nor slay whom God hath forbidden to be slain, except for a just cause; nor are unchaste;—

And they who bear not witness to a lie, and when they pass by vain discourse pass it by with dignity;—

These shall be rewarded with the highest Heaven, for that they persevered, and they shall be accosted therein with ‘Welcome and Peace,’ to live therein for ever—a fair abode and resting-place!

(xxv. 64-75.)

_PART THE SECOND._

_PROPHETS, APOSTLES, AND DIVINE BOOKS._[190]

SAY YE, We believe in God, and in that which hath been sent down unto us (_namely, the Ḳur-án_), and what hath been sent down unto Abraham (_the ten books_), and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, _his children_, and what Moses received (_namely, the Pentateuch_), and Jesus (_namely, the Gospel_), and what the prophets received from their Lord (_namely, books and signs_): we make no separation of any of them, _believing in some, and disbelieving in some, like the Jews and the Christians_; and we resign ourselves unto Him.

(ii. 130.)

_ADAM AND EVE._

_Remember, O Moḥammad_, when thy Lord said unto the angels, I am about to place in the earth a vicegerent _to act for me in the execution of my ordinances therein, namely, Adam_,—they said, Wilt Thou place in it one who will corrupt in it _by disobediences_, and will shed blood (_as did the sons of El-Jánn,[191] who were in it; wherefore, when they acted corruptly, God sent to them the angels, who drove them away to the islands and the mountains_), when we [on the contrary] celebrate the divine perfection, _occupying ourselves_ with Thy praise, and extol Thy holiness? _Therefore we are more worthy of the vicegerency._—_God_ replied, Verily, I know that which ye know not, _as to the affair of appointing Adam vicegerent, and that among his posterity will be the obedient and the rebellious, and the just will be manifest among them. And He created Adam from the surface of the earth, taking a handful of every colour that it comprised, which was kneaded with various waters; and He completely formed it, and breathed into it the soul: so it became an animated sentient being._[192] And He taught Adam the names of all things, _infusing the knowledge of them into his heart_. Then He showed them (_namely, the things_) to the angels, and said, Declare unto me the names of these _things_, if ye say truth _in your assertion that I will not create any more knowing than ye, and that ye are more worthy of the vicegerency_. They replied, [_We extol_] Thy perfection! We have no knowledge excepting what Thou hast taught us; for Thou art the Knowing, the Wise.—_God_ said, O Adam, tell them their names. And when he had told them their names, _God_ said, Did I not say unto you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth, and know what ye reveal _of your words, saying, Wilt thou place in it_, etc., and what ye did conceal _of your words, saying, He will not create any more generous towards Him than we, nor any more knowing_?

(ii. 28-31.)