Hell fire which you have deserved God doth not lead into darkness them that worship him There be that say God hath commanded us not to believe the Prophets until their Sacrifice be consumed by fire Say to them there came to you Prophets heretofore with Miracles that you demanded you had not slain them had you been righteous if they belye thee know they belyed the Prophets that were before thee that came with Miracles the Psalter and the Book of Light. Every man shall taste of death and your reward shall be payed at the Day of Judgment he that shall depart from the fire of Hell and enter into Paradise shall be happy The wealth of this World is but matter of Pride that you may be tryed in your Riches and Persons Hearken not to the Iews and Christians that have known the written Law before you neither to them that believe in many Gods they offend God through their blasphemies if you have patience and fear God you shall make a very good resolution God hath accepted the Speech of them that know his written Law when they promised him to preach to the people his Commandments and not conceal them nevertheless they have contemned them and changed them for profit of little value and have gained nothing but misery think not that such as rejoyce of the evil they have done and affect to be commended for what they have not done have escaped the punishment of their Crimes they shall certainly suffer great torments The Kingdom of Heaven and of the Earth is Gods he is Omnipotent the Creation of Heaven and Earth the difference of day and night are evident signs of his Omnipotency to such as have judgment Such as have remember God standing sitting or lying down and considered the Creation of Heaven and Earth have said Lord thou hast not created these things in vain blessed be thy Name deliver us from the torments of Hell fire thou wilt render miserable him that thou shalt thither precipitate and the wicked shall be deprived of protection at the Day of Judgment Lord we have heard them that say Believe in your Lord we believe in thy unity pardon our faults blot out our sins and give us grace to die in the number of the just bestow on us what thou hast promised by the Prophets and suffer us not to be miserable at the Day of Judgment thou dost not contradict what thou dost promise The Lord heard them and said to them I will not suffer your works to be lost as well of Men as of Women I will blot out the sins of them that went out of Mecca to separate themselves from the wicked I will cover the offences of them that forsook their Houses that assembled to fight for the Faith and were slain I will open to them the Gate of Paradise wherein flow many Rivers to recompence their good works There is with God great reward envy not the Infidels whom thou shalt see possess a little wealth in the Earth Hell is prepared to be their habitation and such as fear God shall dwell eternally in Gardens wherein run many Rivers with all manner of content God is a great rewarder of the just Among them that know the written Law there be that believe in God in what was afore time taught you and in what was preached to them surely they obey God and forsake not his Law They shall receive a great reward from God he is exact in his account O ye that are true believers be patient in your adversities persevere to do well fight for the Faith fear God and you shall be happy CHAP. IV. The Chapter of Women containing one hundred and seventy Verses written at Medina IN the name of God gracious and merciful O ye People fear your Lord that created you of one sole person and created his Wife of his Rib of whom issued many Men and Women Fear God by whom you swear and say the Belly of your Wives God exactly observeth your actions Give unto Orphans what appertaineth to them and render not evil for good devour not their substance it is a very great sin If you fear to do injury to Orphans fear also to do wrong to Women marry those that please you two three or four if you apprehend you shall not be able to entertain them equally marry but one or the slaves that you shall have acquired this is most necessary to the end you offend not God. Give to Women their Dowry with a good will if they give to you any thing that is pleasing to you receive it with affection and civility Bestow not on fools the wealth that God hath given you for subsistence assist Orphans give to them the Garments that shall be necessary for them and entertain them honestly instruct them until they have attained to years of discretion and are capable of marriage if you believe they demean themselves wisely restore to them their faculties and devour them not unjustly before they be of age He that shall be rich shall abstain from their goods and he that is poor shall take with honesty according to the pains he shall undergo for them when you make to them restitution of their goods take witness of your action God loveth good accounts The Children shall have a good part of what their Father and Mother and Parents left after their decease of little or of much there appertaineth to them a portion prefixed and limited When they divide their goods the kindred shall have care of the poor and Orphans do good to them and honestly entertain them Such as fear to leave after them a weak progeny of little Children ought to fear to wrong Orphans they must fear God and courteously entertain them Those that unjustly devour their substance swallow fire into their Bowels and shall burn in a great fire God recommendeth to you your Children the Son shall have as much as two Daughters if there be more than two Daughters they shall have two thirds of the succession of the Dead if there be but one she shall have the moity and her kindred a sixth part of what shall be left by the dead if there be no Children and the kindred be heirs the Mother of the dead shall have a third if there be Brethren the Mother shall have a sixth after satisfaction of the Legacies contained in the Testament and of debts You understand not to whom it is most requisite to do good to your Children or to your Father and Mother give them their Portion ordained of God. The moity of what their Wives shall leave belongeth to you if they have no Children if they have you shall have the fourth part of what they shall leave after payment of the Legacies and debts they shall have the fourth of your succession if you have no Children if you have they shall have the eight portion If a Man or Woman be the heirs of each other and have neither Father nor Mother
The Talio is a pain equal to the offence * Ramazan is their Easter which continueth thirty days during which they Fast. See Gelaldin See the explication of Chasai Bedaci saith pass where Adam and Abraham passed See Kitâ—… el tenoâ—…r * The Iews and Christians See Gelaldin See Gelaldin See Gelaldin That is Nebrot See Gelaldin See Kitab el tenoir * The Iews and Christians See Gelaldin The Iews and Christians The Arabians See Kitab el tenoir See Gelaldin See Kitab el tenoir See Gelaldin O Mahomet * The Iews and Christians See Kitab el tenoir See Kitab el tenoir * Abrahams place say the Turks is a Stone kept in the Oratory of Mecca upon which Abraham ascended when he raised the foundations of the Temple of that City the marks of his feet are upon the Stone to this day See Kitab el tenoir The Iews Benou Selimeth Benou Ariteth Beder is a place between Mecca and Medina where Mahomet gained a Battel At the Battel of Beder See Gelaldin Kitab el tenoir * The ancient Arabians swore by the name of God and the Belly of their Wives because they feared their sterility See Bedaâ—… See Gelaldin He speaketh to the Iews and Christians This place is Mecca See Kitab el tenoir This is the Battel of Beder the Enemies of Mahomet made two Battels See Kitab el tenoir See Gelaldin Gelaldin saith a great and little sin * The ancient Arabians cut off the ear of any beast and gave him liberty through their Country for expiation of their sins See Gelaldin See Kitab el tenoir The Iews The Christians * The old Arabians in devotion put the leaves and branches of Trees upon their Necks like Collers as the Peasants in many places in France do the herbs of St. Iohn See Kitab el tenoir See Gelaldin The Iews and Christians Corcis Enemy to Mahomet * Mahomet See Gelaldin See Kitab et tenoir * The ancient Arabians put upon their Necks the leaves of Trees in devotion when they arrived at Mecca See Kitab el tenoir * These are the Ceremonies of the ancient Arabians which Mahomet renounceth See Kitab el tenoir * O Mahomet Gelaldin justifieth this Chapter of Animals See Gelaldin See Gelaldin O Mahomet See Gelaldin O Mahomet The poor See Gelaldin * The Arabians say Azer is Abraham's Sirname and that his Father was called Terec Azer See Gelaldin See Kitab el tenoir The Iews and Christians * The Mahometan Doctors believe that such as shall have done as much good as evil and whose ballance shall not decline neither on the Scale of good works or of bad shall dwell in the place called Aaraf with them that have done neither good nor evil and this place is between Hell and Paradise * The Turkâ—… believe that Salhe through Gods permission Metamorphosed a Rock into a Camel. * To Mecca Gelaldin saith Moses his hand was brown * This is Mahomet See Kit ab el tenoir The Turks believe that Mahomet could neither write nor read This is the Holy Land. See Gelaldin See Gelaldin Mahomet's Men differed concerning division of the spoyl which they took at the Battel of Bâ—…der Mahomet divided it among them See Gâ—…aldin See Gelaldin * O Mahomet * Mahomet * The day of the battle of Beder See Gelaldin * The Turks believe that the Devil saw the Angels fight for Mahomet See Kit ab â—…l tenoir See Gelaldin Beuou Mocren Kiab bin Malik belal bin Amihe Mesrarhe bin Rabia See Kitab el tenoir * Controvâ—… supra * Gelaldin saith that he was called Kinan The Turks believe that Salhe changed a Rock into a Camel. See Kitab el tenoir and Gelaldin * The Levantiâ—…s Well a Caravan a number of Persons travelling together * All the Revenues of the Crown He speaketh to 〈◊〉 See Gâ—…laldin and Bedaoi Hegir is a Vaâ—…ly â—…ear 〈◊〉 a. See Kitab el tenoir That is the Preface of the Alcoran containing seven Verses See Gelaldin The Iews and Christians To quit their faith and return to it often See Kâ—…tab el tenoir See Gelaldin His hand his staff the deluge grashoppers lice frogs blood fear and famine See Bedaoi See Galaldin See Kitab el tenoir * Gelaldin saith that Mahomet complaineth to the Angel Gabriel for having been so long absent from him See Gelaldin * Delcafel is Ely. See the Book composed by Abdelbaky See Kitab el tenior The Pilgrims Sacrifice a Camel at Mecca See Gelaldin See Gelaldin See Galaldin * Or dying Colours †Is a man or boy kept unlawfully See Gelaldin This is Abdalla bin Seloub One of Mahomets wives was accused of adultery with Safoiian by Mahomets enemies See Kitab letenoir See Kitab el tenoir See Gelaldin Moses slew an Egyptian The Turks believe this Camel was changed into a Rock by Salhe †A Forest near to Madian See Gelaldin See Ekteri and Kitab el tenoir * A Bird so called Gelaldin saith he knew the Name of God. This Queen was called Baâ—…kis See Gelaldin †Mâ—…cca See Gelaldin * Mecca See Gelaldin The 〈◊〉 say that Locman was a great Doctor in Davids's time Mahomet was amorous of Zeid his slaves wife he caused him to repudiate her to marry her because of her beauty He is not the father of Zeid to espouse the Wife which he put away See Tefsir anf Ioahir Mahomet had Nine wives See Gelaldin â—… Bless the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…din Saba is a â—…ovince Licmen â—…e Gelalâ—…n * De pâ—…ind pied * An Indian Date See Gelaldin See Kitab eâ—… tenoir See Tefsir anf Ioahir in Turkish * The obscurity of the mothers belly her womb and the skin that infolds you in the womb See Gelaldin Haman as Pharaoh's â—…ieutnant â—…eneral â—…ee Gelalâ—…in Monday and Tuesday See Gelaldin Thursday and Friday See Gelaldin * Olid bin Maguirhe and Aroua bin Mesroud in whom the Arabians had confidence See Kitab el tenoir * Phoraoh caused Bracelets of gilded Iron to be given with Collars to criminals and made them to go through the City See Gelaldin And Kitab el tenoir Mecca Teba was a King of Licmen See Bedaoi Gelaldin and Falkredin intitle this the Chapter of things that disperse The Turks believe that there is an Apple-tree at the right side of the throne of God and that none can ascend higher than its branches no not the Angels See Gelaldin See Gelaldin Great and small sins †These are the Blessed * These are the Damned †The Prophets †Muse is a fruit common in Egypt †Zacon is the tree of Hell. See Gelaldin See Kitab el tenoir See Kitab el tenoir These are Idols See Gelaldin Mahomet was wrapt in his garments when the Angel brought him this Chapter See Exteri Gelaldin entituleth this The Chapter of them that draw forth the Soul. See Kitab el tenoir Ye shall there see the exposition of this passage Mecca He decliams against Corets See Gelaldin Mahomet complains to the Angel Gabriel because he so long had refrained to visit him It is an hour appointed to the Mahometans to pray The Wife of Ablheb did cast stones in Mahomets way in contempt See Bedaoi
Virgin both before and after Christ's birth so he confirms the Article of Christ's ascension into Heaven and divers other points of Christianity to whom we are more beholding for his reverend esteem of Christ than the Jews who revile and blaspheme him 11. In reading the Alcoran though we find much dung yet in it we shall meet with some gold as Virgil did in reading of Ennius his Verses Aesop's Cock found a precious stone in a dunghil where is much dross some pure metal will be found even so in the dirt of the Alcoran you shall find some jewels of Christian Vertues and indeed if Christians will but diligently read and observe the Laws and Histories of the Mahometans they may blush to see how zealous they are in the works of devotion piety and charity how devout cleanly and reverend in their Mosques how obedient to their Priests that even the great Turk himself will attempt nothing without consulting his Mufti how careful are they to observe their hours of prayers five times a day where ever they are or however imployed how constantly do they observe their Fasts from morning till night a whole month together how loving and charitable the Muslemans are to each other and how careful of strangers may be seen by their Hospitals both for the Poor and for Travellers if we observe their Justice Temperance and other moral Vertues we may truly blush at our own coldness both in devotion and charity at our injustice intemperance and oppression doubtless these Men will rise up in judgment against us and surely their devotion piety and works of mercy are main causes of the growth of Mahometism and on the contrary our neglect of Religion and loosness of conversation is a main hindrance to the increase of Christianity is it not a shame that they should read over their Alcoran once every month and we scarce read over the Bible in all our life that they shall give such reverence to their Alcoran as to honor the very Camel that carried it to Mecca and to lay up for holy reliques the napkins and hankeâ—… chiefs that rubbed off the sweat from his skin and we shall prefer lascivious Poems and wanton Ballads to the sacred word of Almighty God do we not make our selves unworthy of such an inestimable treasure 12. The Turks are our neighbors and their Territories border upon the dominions of Christendom there have been continual Wars and will be still between us it concerneth every Christian who makes conscience of his ways to examine the cause and to look into the grounds of this War whether they be just or not which cannot be known but by reading the Alcoran in which we see the Mahometans to be the enemies of the Cross of Christ in denying his Death and of his Divinity also in that they deny his Godhead we shall find so many passages in it repugnant to and destructive of Christian Religion that Christian Princes are bound to oppose the enemies thereof after the example of those glorious Emperors Constantine who made War against the Heathen Princes Maxentius Maximinus and Licinius of Theodosius the elder against the Tyrant Eugenius the worshipper of Hercules of Theodosius the younger against the Saracens of Honorius against the Goths all enemies of Christ by whose assistance they got notable victories and glorious triumphs 13. We cannot do better service to our Countrymen nor offer a greater affront to the Mahometans than to bring out to the open view of all the blind Sampsons of their Alcoran which have mastered so many Nations that we may laugh at it of which even their own Wise Men are ashamed and are sorry it should be translated into any other language for they are unwilling that their grand Hypocrite should be unmasked or that the Visard of his pretended holiness should be taken off whose filthy nakedness must appear when he is devested they know that words and works of darkness cannot endure the light Trepidantque immisso lumine manes the infernal Ghosts tremble at any glimpse of light and the wild Beasts return to their dens saith David when the morning appears not daring to seek their prey but in the dark night of ignorance this great thief Mahomet hath destroyed many thousands and under the Lyons skin this Ass hath affrighted his beastly minded Saracens therefore let us take away the ring from this Gyges by which he hath made himself invisible and let us with Hercules pull out this thieving Cacus out of his dark den where he useth to hide and shelter himself and expose his deformed carkass to the publick view that we may wonder at it and in detecting his errors we follow the practice of Christ who discovered to the World the damnable Tenets of the Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites 14. The Turks are preposterously zealous in praying for the conversion or perversion rather of Christians to their irreligious religion they pray heartily and every day in their Temples that Christians may imbrace the Alcoran and become their Proselytes in effecting of which they leave no means unassaied by fear and flattery by punishments and rewards now is it fitting that they in charity and zeal should exceed us we are bound to pray and indeavour heartily for their conversion from darkness to light from error to truth but how shall we do this if we know not the dangerous and damnable estate they are in which we cannot know but by reading their Alcoran 15. In reading the Alcoran we shall see what is the force of superstition and with what violence Men are carried headlong in the defence and maintenance even of the most absurd impious opinions what Hecuba is more deformed than the Alcoran yet how do the Turks fight and struggle toil and care hazard life and liberty estates and all for it as if it were the most beautiful Helena in the World these Men cannot endure the Image of Christ or of a Saint in their Temples calling this Idolatry and yet they are the greatest Idolaters in the World themselves for never was there such an Idol as the Alcoran no Man must touch it till first he be washed and that being done he must not touch it with his naked hands but with a clean linen cloth the Priest must kiss it and bow to it he must when he reads in it hold it up on high for it is a sin to hold it lower than his girdle Every piece of Paper that a Turk finds he must use reverendly because the Alcoran is written in paper the Mule that carries it to Mecca is held in great veneration so that he or she is sanctified all the year after that can but touch him and that handkerchief which wipeth off his sweat is a holy relique thus do they strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel. 16. In reading the Alcoran Turkish Story we shall see who were Gog and Magog that made War against the Saints even the Turks an obscure people
shall lay hand upon the Sand and wipe your Face and Hands God is gracious and merciful to his Creatures Seest thou not how those that know the written Law purchase Errour how they desire to mis-lead you through their Riches and divert you from the right way God knoweth your Enemies it is enough that he is your defender and Protector Such as Iudaize alter the word of God and say to the Prophet we have heard and disobeyed thee they heard without hearing they say preserve us have care of us nevertheless do they pervert the word of God in reading it and alter his Commandments they should do better to say Lord we have heard and obeyed hearken only to us and regard us But God hath cursed them and few of them will believe in his Divine Majesty O you that have knowledge of the Scriptures believe in the Alcoran that confirmeth the Old and New Testament before that I deface your Visages and cause them to turn behind your Backs I will curse Infidels as I have cursed them of the Sabbath the Commandment of God is incontinently executed he pardoneth not them that associate him with Companions equal to him except this he forgiveth sins to whom it pleaseth him He that saith God hath Companions blasphemeth and mortally sinneth Consider not such as affirm themselves to be good Men contrariwise God maketh those good Men that please him no injustice shall befal them at the Day of Judgment Consider how they blaspheme it is sufficient that God manifestly beholdeth their sin Seest thou not them that have knowledge of the written Law that believe in Habot and Tagot Idols that say to the Infidels Behold the way of them that believe in God Certainly God hath cursed them he whom he curseth shall find none to protect him Shall they alone have part in the Kingdom of Heaven without giving Alms They will envy their Neighbour for the favours God hath conferred on him Certainly we gave to the posterity of Abraham the knowledge of the Scriptures and Prophecies we bestowed on them great abundance of wealth There were of them that believed in the Scripture and others that contemned it but they shall be punished in the fire of Hell. I will cause them to burn and change their burned skin into a new skin that they may suffer the more God is Omnipotent and prudent in what he ordaineth I will cause those that have believed in God and have performed good works to enter into Gardens wherein flow many Rivers where they shall dwell eternally with most beautiful Women I will give them to enter the shade of Paradise God recommendeth to you Fidelity among your selves to render faithfully what hath been intrusted to you and when you shall judge differences that shall happen among the people judge with Equity It is a good work that he commandeth you he beholdeth and knoweth all things O ye that believe obey God and the Prophets and such as command over you if you be in Controversie concerning any point refer it to God and his Prophet to understand the Exposition if you believe in God and the Day of Judgment you shall do well this will be the best Interpretation that you can attain to Seest thou not that they who think to believe in what hath been inspired into thee and what hath been inspired into thy Predecessors incline to dispute before Tagot Nevertheless they have commanded not to believe in that Idol the Devil laboureth to seduce and withdraw them from the Truth When it was said to them Obey the Commandment of God and his Prophet they departed from thee What will they do when there shall happen to them any punishment of their past sins They will return to thee and swear by the name of God That they desire Peace and to do good Works but God knoweth what is in their hearts and hath abandoned them Cease not to preach to them and to declare to them the Word of God the Prophets and Apostles were not sent but to preach and to be heard through the permission of his Divine goodness If when they have hurt their Souls they come to thee and demand pardon of God thou shalt beg pardon for them they shall find God gracious and merciful They will not believe in his Divine Majesty until they have disputed the difference with thee that is among them and when they shall no more doubt of what thou shalt have done they will without contradiction obey thee We have ordained them to kill each other and to forsake their Houses they have not done it except very few of them and although they did it they did it not to obey what should have been to them a great benefit and exceeding merit we had given them very great reward and guided them to the right way He that shall obey God and his Prophet shall be with them whom God hath endued with his Grace He that knoweth it resigneth himself to his Divine Majesty O you that are true Believers be upon your Guard assembled to fight stoutly for the Law of God. There be among you that be Cowardly when any discomfiture hath befaln you they have said God protected me that I was not with them And when God gave you Victory they spake as if there had been no understanding between them and you Would to God I had been with them I should have acquired exceeding great merit Fight for the glory of God against them that prefer the life of this World to that of Heaven I will give an exceeding great reward to such as shall fight that shall be Victorious and to them that shall be slain fighting for the Faith. Wherefore fight you not for the Law of God for the liberty of Women and Children weak and afflicted that cry Lord deliver us out of this place the people thereof are unjust give us a Protector give us an assured refuge They that believe in God fight for his Law and Infidels fight for the Devil Fight against them that serve the Devil his Policies are weak Consider those to whom it was said Cease to imbrue your hands in the Blood of Infidels persevere in your Prayers and pay Tithes When they were commanded to fight part of them were afraid of the multitude as of God yea more afraid of the multitude than of God and said Lord thou hast not enjoyned us to fight unless thou hast differed us to a near end Say to them The wealth of the Earth is but a small thing there be great Riches in the other World for him that shall have the fear of God before his eyes No injustice shall be done to you wheresoever you are death will meet you notwithstanding you may be in strong Citadels If good happen to the Infidels they say it proceedeth from God if evil befal them they say that cometh from thee Say to them All proceedeth from God what then is the Will of those Men they cannot comprehend this
to Mecca neither to them that assume Collers neither hinder Pilgrims to repair thither to demand the Grace of God and his mercies It is lawful for you to hunt when you shall have finished your Pilgrimage beware lest some persons cause you to sin and hinder your going to Mecca to oblige you to punish them repose your confidence in the justice and fear of God and not in the sin and malice of your neighbour Fear God who is severe in his chastisements It is forbidden you to eat Carrion Blood Swines Flesh and whatsoever is not killed in pronouncing the name of God you are prohibited to eat Animals strangled choakt knockt down precipitated that are slain striking each other and such as beasts shall have slain if you find them not alive to let out their Blood in pronouncing the name of God. You shall not eat of Beasts sacrificed to Idols Consult not with Southsayers or Lots it is a great sin The day shall come when they that have abandoned your Law shall be desperate fear not them and fear me The day will come when I shall accomplish your Law and my Grace shall be abundantly upon you The Law of Salvation is the Law that I desire to give you If any one be in necessity and eateth of what is prohibited without a will to sin God shall be to him gracious and merciful They will demand of thee what is permitted them to eat Say to them it is lawful to eat all sorts of Beasts that are not unclean and whatever hath been taught you from God touching Beasts that have been wounded by Lions or Dogs eat the Beast you shall take and remember God in blooding them fear God he is exact to take account This day it is lawful that you eat what is not unclean and the meats of them that know the written Law their meats are lawful for you and yours for them You are permitted to espouse Maidens and Women of free Condition that are of your Religion and Maidens and Women of free Condition that know the written Law giving them their Dowry with civility commit neither Concubinage nor Adultery with them neither secretly or publickly the good works of him that shall renounce your Law shall be unprofitable he shall be at the Day of Judgment in the number of the Damned O ye that believe in God when you would make your Prayers wash your Faces your Hands to the Elbow and pass your hand over your head and over your feet to the ancles If you be polluted purifie your selves if sick or in a Journey or about to discharge your Belly or have known Women and find no water to wash you lay hand on the Sand pass it over your Visage and wipe therewith your hands God enjoyneth you nothing irksome but willeth you be clean and desireth to accomplish his Grace upon you peradventure you will give him thanks O ye that believe in God! call to mind his Grace and promise he made to you when you said We heard and obeyed fear him he knoweth all that is in your hearts O ye that believe in God! obey his Commandments and be true in your Testimonies take heed that no man move you to offend God in diverting you from what is just render justice to all his fear inviteth you to it have it before your eyes he knoweth all your Actions hath promised his grace and great recompences to the true Believers that shall do good works in this World and hath prepared Hell to punish Infidels O ye that believe in God! remember his favour towards you when some Persons would have extended their hands upon you and how he delivered you from their Malice Fear him all true Believers ought to resign themselves to his Will. God received the Promise of the Children of Israel to observe his Commandments he established among them twelve Captains and said to them I will be with you when you shall make your Prayers pay your Tithes believe in the Prophets deâ—…end them and shall lend to me any Alms I will cover your sins and cause you to enter Paradise wherein flow many Rivers and he among you that shall be an Infidel shall be entirely erroneous from the right path When they swerved from what they had promised we gave them our Curse and hardned their heart they have altered the words of the Scripture and abjured what they had approved Thou shalt not know them that shall be Traytors except very few of them forgive and depart from them God loveth them that do good We likewise received the Promise of those who call themselves Christians but they have forgotten what they promised they have altered what was taught them and we have cast among them Enmity and hatred even until the Day of Judgment That day God shall cause them to know whatever they have done for their punishment O ye that know the written Law our Prophet is come to bring to light many things of the Scripture which you conceal and he likewise leaveth in silence many things that it is not time to make manifest God hath sent you a Book full of light to conduct into the way of Salvation them that love him to bring them out of darkness and by his special Grace to lead them into the way of Salvation Certainly he that saith that the Messiah the Son of Mary is God is impious Say to him who can hinder God to exterminate the Messiah and his Mother with whatsoever is in the Earth when it shall seem good to him God is King of Heaven and Earth he created with them what seemed good to him he is Omnipotent The Iews and Christians have said we are the Children of God his well beloved Say to them shall not God chastise you for your sins Certainly ye are men He that created you pardoneth and punisheth as it pleaseth him he is the King of all that is in Heaven or Earth and of whatever is between them he is the refuge of the righteous O ye that have knowledge in the written Law The Prophet the Apostle of God is come to instruct you in a time that there is none other Prophet but he on the Earth Will you say that no man preached to you the torments of Hell Certainly the word of God is this day preached to you the torment of Hell and the Omnipotency of his Divine Majesty Remember thou what Moses said to his people O people call to mind the grace of God towards you he hath chosen from among you Prophets and Kings hath conferred on you what he hath given to none in the World Enter into the Holy Land as God hath commanded turn not your Backs to your Enemies lest you be in the number of Reprobates They answered O Moses there are Gyants and Tyrants in the Holy Land we will not enter into it until they be gone out of it if they forsake it we will enter into it Then two men of them that
the torments of Hell. Remember Mary whose womb I blessed we inspired into her our Spirit and gave her a Son a Miracle in the VVorld Your Law is one onely Law and I am one onely God worship me and be not impious ye all shall appear before me to be judged I will protect the True believers that shall have done good works and will write what they shall do for their reward Misery is upon the Cities that we have ruined their inhabitants shall not return into the World until the passage be opened to Iagog and Magog and they come running from the eminent places of the Earth then shall the Day of Judgment approach the promised Truth shall not be far off it shall trouble the sight of the wicked who shall say O misery We are miserable we did not foresee this disaster we have been exceeding too blame for having offended God. It shall be said unto them Ye worshipped instead of God the firebrands of Hell into which ye shall be cast headlong Had your Idols been Gods as ye believed they should not have entred Hell they and those that have adored them shall be eternally damned they shall groan complain and shall not be heard Such as shall be in Paradise shall be far remote from them they shall not hear their howlings and shall enjoy eternally what they shall desire the crys of the Damned shall not afflict them the Angels shall meet them when they come out of their graves and shall say Behold now the day that was foretold you in the World a Day wherein we will open the Heavens and the Book of the account of all men as we promised to your predecessors We exactly perform what we promise we have written in the Old Testament and afterwards in the Alcoran That the Righteous shall inherit the Earth This Book shall teach the way of Paradise to them that shall worship me We had not sent thee but in favour of men say unto them God hath always inspired into me that your God is one God will ye not obey him If they go astray I have taught you how they must be intreated Say unto them I know not whether the punishment denounced to you shall be speedy or tardy God knoweth what is known and unknown in the World I know not whether he will try you or defer his punishment until the time appointed He is a most just Judg and most merciful he is not such as ye speak him CHAP. XXII The Chapter of Pilgrimage containing Seventy and Seven Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God Gracious and Merciful O ye People fear God. The Earthquake that shall happen at the Day of Judgment shall be wonderful ye shall that day see Mothers forget their Children and every one shall bear his own burden ye shall see men drunk not with Wine but amazed and astonished at the great judgments of God. There be who dispute of the Deity with ignorance and follow the will of the Devil voluntary and obstinate It is written he shall seduce them that obey him and shall conduct them into Hell. O ye People if ye doubt of the Resurrection consider how we created you of the dust of the Earth with a little Water sprinkled upon the Dust of the Earth with congealed blood and a little flesh intirely and not intirely formed I form in the wombs of Women what seemeth good to me at the time appointed I cause you to come forth Children then I give you life and make you to arrive to the Age of Virility some die young and others live to extremiry of Age to the end they may learn to live well Consider the Earth dry dead and barren when we shall cause Rain to fall it shall change the face shall produce and nourish its fruits of all sorts fair and pleasing Because God is truth it self he raiseth again the dead and is Omnipotent There is no doubt but the Day of Judgment approacheth and that God will cause the dead to rise again There be men that dispute of God without knowledg without reason without authority and go astray from the way of his Law they shall be full of ignominy and shame in this World and shall feel in the other the pains of Hell. God doth no injustice to his People There be who who adore him with scruple if good befal them they persevere to adore him if evil they return to their impiety and lose the riches of Earth and the riches of Heaven These two losses are exceeding great they invoke Idols instead of God they invoke what can neither benefit nor hurt them Such prayers are by-ways far remote from the Commandments of God they worship that which doth rather mischief nor advantage them Certainly God shall make the True-believers that do good works to enter into Gardens wherein flow many Rivers he doth what seemeth good to him He that is angry that God giveth succor and protection to Mahomet in this World and in the other let him tye a Cord to a Beam of his House and hang himself he shall see if his choller will be allayed God hath sent the Alcoran as heretofore he sent the other Scriptures it containeth his Commandments clear and intelligible it guideth into the right way whom it pleaseth him He at the Day of Judgment shall judg the differences that are between the Faithful and Infidels between the Samaritans the Christians and Idolaters he is Omniscient Seest thou not that all that is in Heaven and on Earth the Sun the Moon the Stars the Mountains Trees and Beasts adore him Many worship him with zeal but many likewise merit to be punished None shall esteem him whom God shall despise he doth as seemeth good to him These two contrary parties the Believers and the Infidels have disputed of the Deity but the Infidels shall be encompassed with flames of Hell they shall have Shirts of Fire boyling Water shall flow in upon their Heads the Fire shall burn what is in their Bellies and shall roast their Skin they shall be beaten with Clubs of Iron when they think to go out of this Fire they shall enter further into it and be eternally tormented God shall cause the True-believers that have done good works to go into Gardens wherein flow many Rivers they shall be adorned with Bracelets of Gold and Pearls they shall be clothed with Silk and enjoy Eternal felicity because they have professed his Unity and the Infidels shall suffer great torments for that they have hindred the People to imbrace the Faith and visit the Temple of Mecca which God hath established to be therein adored of all the World He that shall be sollicited to visit it and shall enter it with design to return to his impiety shall be severely punished Remember that we shewed to Abraham the place to build the Temple of Mecca that we commanded him to adore me alone and to purge my Temple from Idols for the satisfaction of them
THE ALCORAN OF MAHOMET Translated out of Arabick into French. BY THE Sieur du Ryer Lord of Malezair and Resident for the French King at ALEXANDRIA AND Newly Englished for the satisfaction of all that desire to look into the Turkish Vanities To which is prefixed the LIFE of MAHOMET THE Prophet of the Turks and Author OF THE ALCORAN With a Needful Caveat or Admonition for them who desire to know what Use may be made of or if there be danger in Reading the ALCORAN LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by Randal Taylor near Stationers Hall. MDC LXXXVIII THE TRANSLATOR TO THE Christian Reader THERE being so many Sects and Heresies banded together against the Truth finding that of Mahomet wanting to the Muster I thought good to bring it to their Colours that so viewing thine enemies in their full body thou maist the better prepare to encounter and I hope overcome them It may happily startle thee to find him so to speak English as if he had made some Conquest on the Nation but thou wilt soon reject that fear if thou consider that this his Alcoran the Ground-work of the Turkish Religion hath been already translated into almost all Languages in Christendom at least the most general as the Latin Italian French c. yet never gained any Proselyte where the Sword its most forcible and strongest argument hath not prevailed And indeed the greatest Doctors of their Religion have never alledged any thing for the truth thereof but the success of their Wars and greatness of their Empire than which nothing is more fallacious for that which both in former and these latter Ages hath been common to the bad with the good cannot be a certain evidence of the justice of a Cause or the truth of Religion Thou shalt find it of so rude and incongruous a composure so farced with contradictions blasphemies obscene speeches and ridiculous fables that some modest and more rational Mahometans have thus excused it that their Prophet wrote an hundred and twenty thousand sayings whereof three thousand only are good the residue as the impossibility of the Moons falling into his sleeve the Conversion and Salvation of the Devils and the like are false and ridiculous Yet is the whole esteemed so sacred that upon the Cover thereof is inscribed Let none touch it but he who is clean Nor are the vulgar permitted to read it but live and die in an implicite faith of what their Priests deliver which indeed as saith the learned Grotius is a manifest argument of its iniquity For that Merchandise may justly be suspected which will not be sold unless unseen and though all Men are not alike perspicacious in the knowledge and discerning of things some by arrogancy and vain conceit of themselves others by affection Some by custom being drawn into error yet should we believe that the way to eternal life cannot be understood by them who without any respect of profit or preferment seek it submitting themselves with all they have to God imploring his assistance we should sin against his infinite goodness Therefore Christian Reader though some conscious of their own instability in Religion and of theirs too like Turks in this whose prosperity and opinions they follow were unwilling this should see the Press yet am I confident if thou hast been so true a votary to orthodox Religion as to keep thy self untainted of their follies this shall not hurt thee And as for those of that Batch having once abandoned the Sun of the Gospel I believe they will wander as far into utter darkness by following strange lights as by this Ignis Fatuus of the Alcoran Such as it is I present to thee having taken the pains only to translate it out of French not doubting though it hath been a poyson that hath infected a very great but most unsound part of the Universe it may prove an Antidote to confirm in thee the health of Christianity THE FRENCH EPISTLE TO THE READER THE Book is a long conference of God the Angels and Mahomet which that false Prophet very grosly invented sometimes he introduceth God who speaketh to him and teacheth him his Law then an Angel anon the Prophets and frequently maketh God to speak in the plural in a stile that is not ordinary He declaimeth against such as worship Idols particularly against the Inhabitants of the City of Mecca and against the Coreis who were enemies to his design He intituled this Book the Alcoran as one would say the Collection of Precepts He likewise termed it El Forcan that is that distinguisheth good from evil He divided it into many Chapters to which he gave what inscription he thought good he most commonly intituleth them with words that are in their first line without regard to the matter they treat of and speaketh little of their Inscription He divided it into many signs or Verses that contain his ordinances and fables without observation either of the consequence or connexion of the discourse which is the cause that thou shalt find in this Book a multitude of incongruous pieces and divers repetitions of the same things It hath been expounded by many Mahometan Doctors their exposition being as ridiculous as the Text They affirm the original of the Alcoran to be written upon a Table kept in Heaven that the Angel Gabriel brought this Copy to Mahomet who could neither write nor read and stile him Prophet or Apostle in honour Thou shalt find at beginning of some Chapters letters of the Arabick Alphabet which some Men will not expound They fear to utter things that may displease their false Prophet Most of their Doctors affirm those letters to be the first letters of the Names of God. Thou shalt find the exposition in this version Thou wilt wonder that such absurdities have infected the best part of the World and wilt avouch that the knowledge of what is contained in this Book will render that Law contemptible A SUMMARY OF THE Religion of the Turks THE Turks believe one sole God in one sole Person Creator of Heaven and Earth the rewarder of the good and punisher of the wicked who hath created Paradise for the recompence of the righteous and Hell for the last punishment of crimes They believe that Mahomet was a very great Prophet whom God sent into the World to teach men the way of salvation and call themselves Musulmans that is to say recommended to God or saved They believe the Decalogue of Moses and are obliged to observe it they celebrate Friday as the Christians Sunday that day they assemble in Temples at noon to pray They are obliged to pray five times a day viz. in the morning at noon at the evening when the Sun setteth and an hour within night They fast the Month or Moon which they call Ramazan during this Month they neither drink nor eat all the Day until the Sun be set but in the Night drink and eat according to their appetites Flesh and Fish
except the Flesh of Swine and Wine that is at all times forbidden them after this fast they have the feast of great Bairan as the Christians Easter after Lent. They are great founders of Temples and Hospitals and are obliged to give to the poor the first day of the year the tith of what they have gained during the preceding year They believe that after being well washt saying some prayer appropriate to that Ceremony they have also the Soul purified from all Filthiness and Sin which is the cause that they wash and bath often especially before they pray They have no Sacrament but Circumcision they cause their Children to be circumcised at the age of seven or eight years and when they can pronounce these words La ilha illa allha Mehemet rasoul allha that is There is but one God Mahomet is his Prophet and Apostle this is their profession of faith nevertheless there is no mention of Circumcision in all the Alcoran they say they observe it in imitation of Abraham whose Law is recommended to them by Mahomet they believe that the Alcoran was brought to him at several times by the Angel Gabriel in the City of Mecca and that of Medina because the Jews and Christians had altered the Holy Scriptures and the Law of God. They are permitted to have four Wives married at the same time and as many Concubines as they are able to maintain They can put away their Wives when they think fit paying them what they promised them in contract of marriage and marry again at their pleasure but the Women are bound to tarry until they are assured that they are not with Child before they marry again and their Husbands are obliged to keep and take the care of the Children The Children which they have by their slaves are indifferently esteemed with those of their Wives and are all held as legitimate They have Temples Colleges and Hospitals well revenued they have covents of Religious that live exemplarily obey their Superiours without contradiction and dance after the sound of Flutes and other instruments when they make their prayers They have moreover another sort of Religious Vagabonds through the World clothed like fools of that Country they often go naked and cut their skin in many places are held to be holy persons and live by alms which are never refused them both the one and the other sort of Religious are called Dervis they are known by their habit and can retire and marry when they please They deny Jesus Christ to be God or the Son of God neither believe they in the Holy Trinity they say that Jesus Christ was a great Prophet born of the Virgin Mary a Virgin both before and after her delivery that he was conceived by divine inspiration or by a divine breath without a father as Adam was created without a Mother that he was not crucified that God took him into Heaven and that he shall come again on earth at the end of the World to confirm the Law of Mahomet they likewise affirm that the Jews thinking to crucifie Jesus Christ crucified a man among them that resembled him They pray to God for the Dead they invoke their Saints of whom they have a large Legend nevertheless they believe not Purgatory and many among them imagine that the Soul and body remain together in the grave until the day of Judgment They have Mecca and Medina that are two Cities of Arabia in great veneration because Mahomet was born at Mecca and buried at Medina they make thither great pilgrimages and believe that Land to be Holy They bear likewise singular respect to the City of Ierusalem for that it hath been the Birth-place and habitation of many Prophets They use no Clocks at the hour of their prayers their Priests ascend the highest part of a Tower that is in a corner of the Temple and with a loud voice call the people to prayer singing prayers composed for that purpose WE the Consuls Governors Protectors and Defenders of the Priviledges Freedoms and Liberties of the City of Marseillis do certifie and attest to all to whom it shall appertain that Mr. Andrew du Ryer Lord of Malezair Gentleman in Ordinary of the King's Chamber and heretofore Consul to his Majesty in Egypt hath executed the charge for the said Consulship like a Man of honesty and honour no complaint having been made at any time or his administration or deportment during the time of his abode there and that he exercised that office Neither was any complaint ever made of the said Mr. du Ryer during the time he sojourned at Constantinople for the service of his Majesty but all the Captains and Officers of Merchant Vessels and of others that negotiated in the same parts received of him all favour as in matters that concerned them as in affairs that did relate to the service of his Majesty and the advantage of his Subjects traffick in testimony of which We have drawn and signed these Presents and have put and affixed to them the Seal and accustomed Arms of this City At Marseillis the 12. day of Feb. 1633. De Bourgongne Consul I. Savornin Consul Meinardet Consul By the said Consuls Boet. To Mr. du Ryer Lord of Malezair Gentleman in Ordinary of the Kings Chamber at Constantinople SIR HAving heard by the report of many Merchants of this City the good offices that you have daily performed towards them of our Nation and particularly our fellow Citizens who all unanimously much commend your affection and singular care to protect and defend them We thought our duty to return you by these lines a thousand thanks and that the more affection for that your courtesie and not their merits carried you to all those good offices of which they and we shall ever keep a perpetual memory to render you any acknowledgment when occasion shall be offered and give you a testimony by our services that you have not cast your Seed upon barren Ground In the mean time Sir we beseech you be pleased to continue to us the honour of your friendship and effects of your favour as we shall desire in all emergent occasion to testifie that we are really Sir Your most affectionate Servants the Consuls Governors of the City of Marseillis Monthouliau Francis Nappollon Du Pont. From Marseillis this 24. of August 1632. A Translation of the Command of the Grand Seignior concerning Mr. Malezair ILlustrious and Excellent Commanders refuge of the great Triumphant Eminent Glorious and Honourable Lords endued with the special Graces of God Bashaws or Vice-Roys Beys or Governors that are upon the Roads of our most August Port to the Realm of France God. perpetuate your glory just Iudges of the Musulmans Minerals of Vertue and Knowledge that are upon the Road of our most August Port to the Realm of France God increase your Vertues Honourable and trusty Governors Captains of Frontiers and Castles Captains and Patrons of Gallies and Vessels Customers that are