Chapter 16

ENTITLED, THE BEE;o REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

THE sentence of GOD will surely come to be executed; wherefore do not hasten it. Praise be unto him! and far be that from him which they associate with him! He shall cause the angels to descend with a revelation by his command, unto such of his servants as he pleaseth, saying, Preach that there is no GOD, except myself; therefore fear me. He hath created the heavens and the earth, to manifest his justice; far be that from him which they associate with him! He hath created man of seed; and yet behold he is a professed disputer against the resurrection.q He hath likewise created the cattle for you; from them ye have wherewith to keep yourselves warm,r and other advantages; and of them do ye also eat. And they are likewise a credit unto you,s when ye drive them home in the evening, and when ye lead them forth to feed in the morning: and they carry your burdens to a distant country, at which ye could not otherwise arrive, unless with great difficulty to yourselves; for your LORD is compassionate and merciful. and he hath also created horses, and mules, and asses, that ye may ride thereon, and for an ornament unto you; and he likewise created other things which ye know not. It appertaineth unto GOD to instruct men in the right way; and there is who turneth aside from the same: but if he had pleased, he would certainly have directed you all. 10 It is he who sendeth down from heaven rain water, whereof ye have to drink, and from which plants, whereon ye feed your cattle, receive their nourishment.

m 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.1 n Literally, That which is certain. o This insect is mentioned about the middle of the chapter. p Except the three last verses. q The person particularly intended in this place was Obba Ebn Khalf, who came to Mohammed with a rotten bone, and asked him whether it was possible for GOD to restore it to life.2 r viz., Their skins, wool, and hair, which serve you for clothing. s Being a grace to your court-yards, and a credit to you in the eyes of your neighbours.3

1 Al Beidâwi. 2 Idem. 3 Idem.

And by means thereof he causeth corn, and olives, and palm-trees, and grapes, and all kinds of fruits, to spring forth for you. Surely herein is a sign of the divine power and wisdom unto people who consider. And he hath subjected the night and the day to your service; and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, which are compelled to serve by his command. Verily herein are signs unto people of understanding. And he hath also given you dominion over whatever he hath created for you in the earth, distinguished by its different colour.t Surely herein is a sign unto people who reflect. It is he who hath subjected the sea unto you, that ye might eat fishu thereout, and take from thence ornamentsx for you to wear; and thou seest the ships ploughing the waves thereof, that ye may seek to enrich yourselves of his abundance, by commerce; and that ye might give thanks. And he hath thrown upon the earth mountains firmly rooted, lest it should move with you,y and also rivers, and paths, that ye might be directed: and he hath likewise ordained marks whereby men may know their way; and they are directed by the stars.z Shall God therefore, who createth, be as he who createth not? Do ye not therefore consider? If ye attempt to reckon up the favors of GOD, ye shall not be able to compute their number; GOD is surely gracious and merciful; and GOD knoweth that which ye conceal, and that which ye publish. 20 But the idols which ye invoke, besides GOD, create nothing, but are themselves created. They are dead, and not living; neither do they understand when they shall be raised.a Your GOD is one GOD. As to those who believe not in the life to come, their hearts deny the plainest evidence, and they proudly reject the truth. There is no doubt but GOD knoweth that which they conceal and that which they discover. Verily he loveth not the proud. And when it is said unto them, What hath your LORD sent down unto Mohammed? they answer, Fables of ancient times. Thus are they given up to error, that they may bear their own burdens without diminution on the day of resurrection, and also a part of the burdens of those whom they caused to err, without knowledge. Will it not be an evil burden which they shall bear? Their predecessors devised plots heretofore: but GOD came into their building, to overthrow it from the foundations; and the roof fell on them from above, and a punishment came upon them, from whence they did not expect.b

t That is, of every kind; the various colour of things being one of their chief distinctions.1 u Literally, fresh flesh; by which fish is meant, as being naturally more fresh, and sooner liable to corruption, than the flesh of birds and beasts. The expression is thought to have been made use of here the rather, because the production of such fresh food from salt water is an instance of GOD'S power.2 x As pearls and coral. y The Mohammedans suppose that the earth, when first created, was smooth and equal, and thereby liable to a circular motion as well as the celestial orbs; and that the angels asking, who could be able to stand on so tottering a frame, God fixed it the next morning by throwing the mountains on it. z Which are their guides, not only at sea, but also on land, when they travel by night through the deserts. The stars which they observe for this purpose, are either the Pleiades, or some of those near the Pole. a i.e., At what time they or their worshippers shall be raised to receive judgment. b Some understand this passage figuratively, of God's disappointing their wicked designs; but others suppose the words literally relate to the tower which Nimrod (whom the Mohammedans will have to be the son of Caanan, the son of Ham, and so the nephew of Cush, and not his son) built in Babel, and carried to an immense height (five thousand cubits, say some), foolishly purposing thereby to ascend to heaven and wage war with the inhabitants of that place; but God frustrated his attempt, utterly overthrowing the tower by a violent wind and earthquake.1

1 Idem. 2 Idem.

Also on the day of resurrection he will cover them with shame; and will say, Where are my companions, concerning whom ye disputed? Those unto whom knowledge shall have been given,c shall answer, This day shall shame and misery fall upon the unbelievers. 30 They whom the angels shall cause to die, having dealt unjustly with their own souls, shall offer to make their peaced in the article of death, saying, We have done no evil. But the angels shall reply. Yea; verily GOD well knoweth that which ye have wrought: wherefore enter the gates of hell, therein to remain forever; and miserable shall be the abode of the proud. And it shall be said unto those who shall fear God, What hath your LORD sent down? They shall answer, Good; unto those who do right shall be given an excellent reward in this world; but the dwelling of the next life shall be better; and happy shall be the dwelling of the pious! namely gardens of eternal abode,e into which they shall enter; rivers shall flow beneath the same; therein shall they enjoy whatever they wish. Thus will GOD recompense the pious. Unto the righteous, whom the angels shall cause to die, they shall say, Peace be upon you; enter ye into paradise, as a reward for that which ye have wrought. Do the unbelievers expect any other than that the angels come unto them, to part their souls from their bodies; or that the sentence of thy LORD come to be executed on them? So did they act who were before them; and GOD was not unjust towards them in that he destroyed them; but they dealt unjustly with their own souls: the evils of that which they committed reached them; and the divine judgment which they scoffed at fell upon them. The idolaters say, If GOD had pleased, we had not worshipped anything besides him, neither had our fathers: neither had we forbidden anything, without him.f So did they who were before them. But is the duty of the apostles any other than public preaching? We have heretofore raised up in every nation an apostle to admonish them, saying, Worship GOD, and avoid TAGHUT.g And of them there were some whom GOD directed, and there were others of them who were decreed to go astray. Wherefore go through the earth, O tribe of Koreish, and see what hath been the end of those who accused their apostles of imposture. If thou, O prophet, dost earnestly wish for their direction; verily GOD will not direct him whom he hath resolved to lead into error; neither shall they have any helpers. 40 And they swear most solemnly by GOD, saying, GOD will not raise the dead. Yea; the promise thereof is true: but the greater part of men know it not.

c viz., The prophets, and the teachers and professors of GOD'S unity; or, the angels. d Making their submission, and humbly excusing their evil actions, as proceeding from ignorance, and not from obstinacy or malice.2 e Literally, gardens of Eden. See chapter 9, p. 142. f This they spoke of in a scoffing manner, justifying their idolatry and superstitious abstaining from certain cattle,3 by pretending, that had these things been disagreeable to GOD, he would not have suffered them to be practised. g See chapter 2, p. 28.

1 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. Vide D'Herbel. Bibl. Orient. Art. Nimrod 2 Iidem Interp 3 See chapter 6, p. 102, &c.

He will raise them that he may clearly show them the truth concerning which they now disagree, and that the unbelievers may know that they are liars. Verily our speech unto anything, when we will the same, is, that we only say unto it, Be; and it is. As for those who have fled their country for the sake of GOD, after they had been unjustly persecuted;h we will surely provide them an excellent habitation in this world, but the reward of the next life shall be greater; if they knew it.i They who persevere patiently, and put their trust in their LORD, shall not fail of happiness in this life and in that which is to come. We have not sent any before thee, as our apostles, other than men,j unto whom we spake by revelation. Inquire therefore of those who have the custody of the scriptures, if ye know not this to be truth. We sent them with evident miracles, and written revelations; and we have sent down unto thee this Korân,k that thou mayest declare unto mankind that which hath been sent down unto them, and that they may consider. Are they who have plotted evil against their prophet secure that GOD will not cause the earth to cleave under them, or that a punishment will not come upon them, from whence they do not expect; or that he will not chastise them while they are busied in travelling from one place to another, and in traffic? (for they shall not be able to elude the power of God,) or that he will not chastise them by a gradual destruction? But your LORD is truly gracious and merciful in granting you respite. 50 Do they not consider the things which GOD hath created; whose shadows are cast on the right hand and on the left, worshipping God,l and become contracted? Whatever moveth both in heaven and on earth worshippeth GOD, and the angels also; and they are not elated with pride, so as to disdain his service: they fear their LORD, who is exalted above them, and perform that which they are commanded. GOD said, Take not unto yourselves two gods; for there is but one GOD: and revere me. Unto him belongeth whatsoever is in heaven and on earth; and unto him is obedience eternally due. Will ye therefore fear any besides GOD? Whatever favors ye have received are certainly from GOD; and when evil afflicteth you, unto him do ye make your supplication; yet when he taketh the evil from off you, behold, a part of you give a companion unto their LORD, to show their ingratitude for the favors we have bestowed on them. Delight yourselves in the enjoyments of this life: but hereafter shall ye know that ye cannot escape the divine vengeance. And they set apart unto idols which have no knowledge,m a part of the food which we have provided for them. By GOD, ye shall surely be called to account for that which ye have falsely devised.

h Some suppose the prophet and the companions of his flight in general, are here intended: others suppose that those are particularly meant in this place, who, after Mohammed's departure, were imprisoned at Mecca on account of their having embraced his religion, and suffered great persecution from the Koreish; as, Belâl, Soheib, Khabbab, Ammâr, Abes, Abu'l Jandal, and Sohail.1 i It is uncertain whether the pronoun they relates to the infidels, or to the true believers. If to the former, the consequence would be, that they they would be desirous of attaining to the happiness of the Mohajerîn, by professing the same faith; if to the latter, the knowledge of this is urged as a motive to patience and perseverance.2 j See chapter 7, p. 110, note r; chapter 12, p. 189, &c. k Literally, this admonition.3 l See chapter 13, p. 182, note c. m Or, which they know not; foolishly imagining that they have power to help them, or interest with GOD to intercede for them. As to the ancient Arabs setting apart a certain portion of the produce of their lands for their idols, and their superstitions abstaining from the use of certain cattle, in honour to the same, see chapter 5, p. 86, and