hand the tie of marriage doth not leave to them the whole of courtesie it is requisite to gratifie them and to forget nothing of the benefits between you God beholdeth all your actions stand upon your guard when you make your prayers especially that at noon and be obedient unto God. If you fear your enemies and cannot place your selves on your knees neither perform the Ceremonies that are appointed you omit not to say your prayers on foot or on horseback and being freed from fear remember God and how he hath taught you what you know not Such as die shall be good to their Wives by their Testament they shall bestow on them wherewith to live during the time they must tarry before they marry again drive them not from your houses If they willingly depart the sin of what they shall do in their own persons shall not be upon you God is Omnipotent and just you shall likewise do good to your Wives that you have divorced according to your power it is a thing reasonable among such as fear God Thus God teacheth you his Commandments perhaps you will learn them See you not them that departed their houses for the fear they had of death they are thousands in number God hath said to them die after this he raised them again God is the Benefactor of the People but the greatest part return him no thanks for his favours Fight for his Law and know that he understandeth and knoweth all things Who is he that will afford him a good turn He will augment him with multiplicity of increase he giveth good and taketh it away from whom it pleaseth him you shall all return before him to be judged Knowest thou not that a company of the Children of Israel after the death of Moses said to their Prophet send us a King we with him will fight for the Law of God He answereth them have you disobeyed the Commandments of God If they enjoyn you to fight you will not do it They said we have no greater desire than to fight for the glory of his Divine Majesty we for this Cause have abandoned our houses and those of our Parents nevertheless when they were commanded to fight they all except some few of them retired but God knoweth them that sin against him Their Prophet said to them God hath sent Saul to be your King they answered why shall he be our King we rather deserve the Royalty than he he is not rich enough he replied God hath chosen him to command you he hath encreased his knowledge and Stature he giveth Royalty to whom he listeth he is liberal and prudent in all his Actions Their Prophet said to them the sign of his Reign shall be that the Ark shall appear to you from God to confirm your hearts wherein shall be contained the remainder of what the people of Moses and Aaron left and it shall be born by Angels this shall be to you the sign of his Reign if you believe in God. When Saul went forth with his Troops to fight his Enemies he said God shall try you by a River he that shall drink of that River shall not be mine unless he drink with his hand they all except some few of them drank at their Pleasure and having past that River with the true Believers they said we have not this day strength sufficient to resist Goliah and his Troops but such as believed in God and feared his Divine Majesty said how often through the permission of God hath a small Troop defeated a great Army He is with them that are patient when they saw Goliah with his Troops appear they said Lord give us patience confirm our steps and give us Victory over the Infidels They through the permission of God vanquished their Enemies David slew Goliah and God gave him the Royalty and knowledge of future things Had not God raised the people one against the other the whole Earth had been full of disorders such are the Miracles of God as I declare to thee with truth thou art indeed one of the Prophets of his Divine Majesty We have conferred our graces on the Prophets on some more than on others many have spoken to their Lord and some have been more elevated than others We gave knowledge to Jesus the Son of Mary and fortified him through the Holy Spirit Had it pleased God the Prophets that came heretofore had not been slain after they had taught his Commandments Men were of different Opinions some believed in God others were impious had it pleased God they had not been slain but he doth what pleaseth him O ye that are true Believers dispense in Alms some part of your wealth that we have given you before the day arrive wherein you shall find no Ransom Alms Protection nor Prayers that can succour you Certainly Infidels are greatly to blame God! There is but one only God living and eternal think not that he slumbereth or sleepeth whatever is in Heaven or in Earth is his who shall intercede for thee with his Divine Majesty unless by his permission He knoweth all the Actions of men and whatever they have done they know nothing but what it hath pleased him â—…o teach them The largeness of his Throne containeth Heaven and Earth and the Conservation of both is not troublesome to him he is Omnipotent and glorious The Law ought not to be abjured it manifesteth the difference of Faith and Impiety He that believeth not in Tagot or the Devil and hath Faith in God layeth hold on the strongest knot that cannot be dissolved broken or cut asunder God understandeth and knoweth all things he aideth and assisteth them that believe in his Unity he will cause them to come out of darkness and will guide them into light the wicked shall have Tagot and the Devil for their Protector he shall cause them to forsake the light and shall lead them into darkness such men shall remain eternally in the fire of Hell. Consider you not his Action to whom God had given the Royalty When he disputed concerning God with Abraham Abraham said to him My Lord is he that giveth life and death He said I even I give life and death to my Subject when I see good Abraham answered God causeth the Sun to rise in the East make thou it to arise in the West then the Infidel was confuted God is not a guide to unjust Persons Hast thou considered the action of him that came into a Village desolate and ruined and said How is it that God can be able to give life unto this Village after it's death and re-establish it after so great a ruine Then God caused him to die after the space of an hundred years raised him again and said to him How long hast thou continued here he answered I have sojourned here a day and a half On the contrary thou hast been here an hundred years consider thy Meat and Drink that they are not altered through
is God that hath cursed them by reason of their impiety and few of them will believe the Commandments of his Divine Majesty When God hath sent them any Book confirming the Scriptures which they before approved viz. the Old Testament and the Gospel they demanded succours when they met with the wicked and being succoured they either understood it not or would not receive it â—… The curse of God is upon Infidels especially upon them that have sold their Souls and through Envy disobeyed his Commandments He bestoweth his grace on whom he pleaseth they are returned in the displeasure of his Divine Majesty who hath prepared for them grievous torments because of the Enormity of their Crimes When it was said to them Believe in the Commandments of God they said Do we not believe in what hath been commanded us Nevertheless they have no faith in the truth which God hath sent confirming the Prophecies and the Precepts that they before approved Say unto them had you heretofore slain the Prophets if you had believed in his Law Moses certainly had caused you to see Miracles but ye adored the Calf after his departure wherefore you were greatly to blame We received your Promise to observe the Commandments of the Law and raised a Mountain over you Understand with affection what we teach you and hearken to what is commanded you they answered we have heard and disobeyed and inclined their heart to the adoration of the Calf because of their impiety Say to them doth your faith command you to do it if you believe in God and life eternal Think upon death if you be righteous They regard not their past errours but God knoweth the unjust Thou shalt find them with diligence and desire to live a long time The wicked hope to live a thousand years but they shall be exempt from the Punishment to live long God beholdeth all their Actions Say to them who is an Enemy to Gabriel He by the permission of God hath inspired into thee the Alcoran that confirmeth the ancient Scriptures and guideth the good in the way of their Salvation and declareth to them the joys of Paradise He that is an Enemy to God the Angels his Prophet to Gabriel and Michael shall be rigorously chastised God is an Enemy to Infidels We have sent thee Precepts clear and intelligible none will abjure them but the wicked Some of them have acted against their own Promises and the greatest part is incredulous Many of them that have knowledge in the written Law have forsaken it even when God sent them any Prophet to confirm the Scriptures that they had before received and approved They cast the Book of God behind their Backs as if they knew it not and adhered to what the Devils taught in the Reign of Solomon yet Solomon sinned not but the Devils only that instructed the People in Magick and what was taught by the two Angels Arot and Marot in Babylon Before they taught the people they said We are not sedition neither be you impious The people learned of them what concerneth the Separation of the Man and the Woman and what breedeth hatred betwixt them They did not harm to any by their Magick but through the permission of God the people learned of them what might hurt and not be profitable to them they instructed in Magick them that sold their part in Paradise at the loss of their Souls although they knew their errour that they had before believed in God and feared his Divine Majesty Repentance inspired by God is exceeding profitable if they understood to know it O you that fear God say not honour us say regard us and hearken to what is commanded you To Infidels are prepared dolorous torments the Iews and Christians desired not that God should send you good but God very liberal gratifieth with his mercy whom he pleaseth he will not alter his Commandments neither forget them he will moreover teach others more profitable or of the like nature know you not that God is Omnipotent understand you not that to God appertains the Kingdom of Heaven and of Earth who except God will be your Protector Will you question your Prophet as Moses was heretofore questioned He that shall change faithinto impiety shall forsake the good way Many that have knowledge in the Scripture endeavoured to mislead you through impiety and Envy notwithstanding they are not ignorant of the Truth forgive them and beware of them untill God hath otherwise disposed he is Omnipotent Make your Prayers at the time appointed and pay your Tithes you shall find before God the good that you do for your Souls he beholdeth all your Actions They have said that none but the Iews and Christians shall enter into Paradise it is their false invention say unto them if you be good Men bring your Reasons on the contrary he that resigneth himself to God and is a just Man shall be recompensed by his Divine Majesty there needeth not be any fear for him he shall not be tormented in the fire of Hell. The Iews say the Christians are void of reason and the Christians affirm the Iews to be without reason nevertheless they study the Scripture so speak the ignorant God will determine their difference at the day of the Resurrection Who is more unjust than he that hindred that God be remembred in Temples and that studieth nought but their destruction Such men cannot enter therein but with fear and terrour they shall have on Earth shame upon the Forehead and in the other World shall suffer exceeding great torments The East and West are Gods whithersoever men turn themselves the Face of God doth there meet them his Divinity extendeth through the whole Earth They said believe you that God hath a Son Praised be God on the contrary whatever is either in Earth or Heaven appertaineth to his Divine Majesty and all things obey him he hath created Heaven and Earth and when he willeth any thing he saith Be thou and it is The unbelievers said if God speak not to us or if thou performest no Miracles we will not believe thee their Predecessors have said as much and their words have been like unto their hearts we have caused Miracles to appear to the righteous and have sent thee to preach and instruct the people inquire not why those that shall descend into Hell will not believe thee the Iews and Christians will not be satisfied of thee until thou follow their opinion say unto them there is no better guide in the World than God take heed lest thou follow their Appetites after that thou hast comprehended the knowledge which we inspired into thee who except God will be thy defender They whom we have taught the Scripture that study and read it with truth believe the contents of it and they that do not believe are damned O Children of Israel call to mind the favour that I did you I preferred you before all the World
fear the day wherein one Soul shall not be able to assist another when a Ransom shall not be accepted neither excuse and when the wicked shall not be protected Remember thou that Abraham requested of the Lord an accomplishment of his Word he said to him I will establish thee among the people to teach them the Mysteries of my Law and he said what shall become of my Linage He answered Paradise shall not be open to the unjust We have established the Temple of Mecca for a sure refuge of the people in Repentance he made his Oratory at Abraham's place and we have commanded Abraham and Ismael to keep clean my house for them that shall repair thither in Procession with humility and adoration When Abraham received this command he said Lord fortifie this City and enrich its people with all good things and all the inhabitants thereof that shall believe in thy Divine Majesty and the day of Judgment God said I will for a time enrich the Infidels also and precipitate them into the fire of Hell where they shall remain to all Eternity When Abraham and Ismael raised the Foundations of the Temple of Mecca Abraham said Lord accept our Vows thou understandest all and knowest all things Lord give us the grace to be obedient to thy Commandments and let a people issue from our Loyns that may observe thy Law Shew us the way we ought to follow and have mercy upon us thou art gracious and merciful Lord send to this thy people a Prophet of their Nation to preach to them thy Commandments to instruct them in Scripture and knowledge and to purifie them thou art Omnipotent and wise No man shall abandon the Law of Abraham but to his own damage I have chosen him in this World and he is in the other in the number of the just Remember thou that his Lord said to him Be thou obedient to thy Lord and trust thou in him he said I resign my self to God Lord of the Universe He commanded Iacob and his Children to follow the Law of God. My Children God hath taught you his Law trust you in him be obedient to him even unto death Were you present when Iacob was near unto death and when he said to his Sons Whom will ye adore after me They answered We will worship thy God the God of our Fathers Abraham Ismael and Isaac one sole God we resign our selves to his pleasure The good that those men gained remained to them and the evil that you shall commit shall be against you enquire not after what they did They have said Be ye either Iew or Christian you shall follow the right way Say unto them contrariwise The Law of Abraham is most just he was not of the number of them that believed in many Gods. Say ye We believe in God in what he inspired into Abraham Ismael Isaac Iacob and the Tribes in what was taught Moses Iesus and all the Prophets we rely upon God. If they believe as you do they shall not erre if they abandon your faith they will have a controversie with you but God shall protect you he understandeth whatever they say and what they do he hath purified his Law and what better Purification is there than that of his Divine Majesty Say unto them Will you dispute with us concerning God who is your and our Lord We will answer with our Actions and you shall answer with yours all our confidence is in his Divine Pleasure Will you say that Abraham Isaac Iacob and the Tribes were Iews or Christians Are you more knowing than God Who is more unjust than he that concealeth the Miracles that he hath seen to proceed from God He is not ignorant of all your Actions The good that those men have done remain to them and the evil that they shall commit shall be against you enquire not after what they did Some ignorant among the people will say Their Prophet doth not appoint them to turn the face to that side to which they turned heretofore when they made their Orisons Say unto them The East and West belong unto God he directeth in the right way whom he pleaseth As we have conducted you into the right way we have likewise commanded you to do that which is just that you be witnesses against the people at the day of judgment and the Prophet witness against you I have not ordained that you turn your face as heretofore when you made your Orisons to the end they may be known that follow the Prophet from them that return to their impiety It will be irksome to the people to turn to that side except to such as God hath guided into the right way God will not make vain your belief he is gracious and merciful to his people I see that thou liftest up thy face to Heaven turn which way shall please thee but turn thou towards Mecca wheresoever thou art They to whom heretofore the knowledge of Scripture was given knew that the Truth proceeded from their Lord what they do is not concealed from God when thou shalt meet them and that they will not turn themselves as thou in making their Prayers do not thou likewise turn as they they turn not all the same way follow not their Appetites having comprehended the knowledge that hath been inspired into thee left thou fall into the number of the unjust Many to whom we have given the knowledge of the written Law understand it perfectly as also do their Children nevertheless they conceal the Truth and are not ignorant that it proceedeth from thy Lord Be not thou of the number of them that doubt Turn thy self always towards Mecca Do good wheresoever thou art God will be with thee he is Omnipotent From what place soever thou goest forth turn thy face towards Mecca This is reasonable and ordained by thy Lord. Whatsoever you do is not hid from God wheresoever you are turn towards Mecca that none may find wherewith to reprove your actions but the unjust fear not them but fear me I will accomplish my Grace upon you and you shall be guided through the right way We have sent unto you a Prophet of your Nation that shall teach you my Commandments and purifie you He shall instruct you in the Scripture in knowledge and in what you understand not Remember me I will remember you praise me and be not in the number of the wicked O ye that are True believers implore succour with Patience and Prayers Certainly God is with such as are patient Say not that those that are slain for the defence of their Law are dead contrariwise they are alive but you know it not I will try you and afflict you through the loss of your Goods and disease of your Persons Paradise shall be for them that shall be patient and shall say in their affliction We are given up unto God and shall return before him to be judged his Grace shall be upon
not cease to fight you until they have if they can accomplish it misâ—…led you from your Religion His good works among you that shall quit his Law and die an Infidel shall be vain in this World and himself be confined in the fire of Hell Such as believe in God that separate themselves from the impious that abandon their Houses for the service of his Divine Majesty and that fight for the Faith hope for his Mercy he is gracious and merciful They will enquire of thee concerning Wine and Games of hazard say unto them that it is in them a very great sin and yet of Utility to Men but the evil that they cause is much greater than the profit they reap They will demand what they ought to expend in good works say unto them what shall remain to you your own Affairs being done So God teacheth you his Commandments peradventure you will call to mind the things of Earth and Heaven They will enquire concerning Orphans say unto them if their substance be intermingled with your own do them no wrong they are your Brethren in God he knoweth them that do good and those that do Evil if it had pleased him he had detained much more from you for he is Omnipotent and just Marry not women that believe in many Gods until they believe in one sole God a Slave that is a true Believer is of more value than a free Infidel notwithstanding she is beautiful Infidels shall be summoned to Hell fire and God calleth men to Paradise and to his mercy through his meer good Pleasure and declareth to them his Commandments perhaps they will remember them They will enquire of thee concerning the Monthly terms of Women answer that they are unclean separate your selves from your Wives when they are menstruous and come not nigh them until they be purified when they shall be clean approach them according to what God hath commanded he loveth them that repent of their Errours that are clean and purified your Wives are your Tillage go to your Tillage at your Pleasure and do good for your Souls you shall one day find it fear God and preach his Commandments to the true Believers Your Religion doth not permit you to swear by God in vain and oftentimes to justifie your selves God understandeth and knoweth all things he will not regard what you shall speak at Random that shall not be hurtful to any but he will see what it shall be in your heart He will be gracious and merciful to such as shall swear not to touch their Wives for the space of four Months if they return to them he is gracious and merciful but if they desire to repudiate them he understandeth and knoweth all things Women divorced shall tarry until their Terms be past four times before they Marry again it is not permitted them to conceal what God hath created in their Womb if they believe in his divine Majesty and the Day of Judgment if they flie from their Husbands they shall be brought again to them which is a thing reasonable They ought to honour them and their Husbands likewise ought to honour them but the Husbands have a degree of advantage above them God is Omnipotent and most wise in what he ordaineth Divorce the first and second time ought to be performed with mildness courtesie and good deeds it is not lawful for you to take any thing from your Wives of what you have given them if you both fear a disability of not satisfying the Commandments of God but if you both fear to transgress the bounds prescribed by God you shall do well to accord together such are the commandments of his Divine Majesty transgress them not such as transgress them are exceedingly to blame He that shall have repudiated his Wife thrice shall not resume her until she hath been married to another that hath divorced her then they may return to each other and marry again without Sin if they think themselves able to continue within the limits prescribed by God which he manifesteth to the wise and prudent When you shall repudiate your Wives appoint them the time they must tarry before they again marry take them with civility and modesty and in the like manner dismiss them give them presents according to your abilities and take them not to abuse nor torment them they that do this offend their own Souls Mock not at the Commandments of God Remember his favours and how he hath taught you Scripture Knowledge and the mysteries of his Law Fear God and know that he understandeth all your actions When you repudiate your Wives appoint them they ought to tarry before they marry again and hinder them not to marry according to the Commandments of God. These things are preached to them among you that believe in God and in the Day of Judgment it is requisite so to make use of them God knoweth what you know not The Women shall give suck to their Children two years entire if they desire to accomplish the time appointed to suckle them the Father shall nourish and cloath the Wife and his Children according to his faculties expend not but according to the measure of your goods the Father and Mother shall not necessitate themselves for their Children the heir shall perform what is above ordained he shall entertain his Father and Mother according to his abilities if the Parents desire to wean their Children before two years be expired they may do it without offending God if they both agree to it If you cause your Children to be nursed by other Women than your own Wives God will not be offended in giving them their sallary according to reason and honesty fear God and know that he seeth what ever you do Widows shall tarry four months and ten nights after the death of their Husbands before they marry again this time being accomplished they shall do what shall seem good to them according to reason and honesty God knoweth all your actions You will not offend God in speaking a word in secret to Women that you research in marriage although you conceal in your mind your design to espouse them he understandeth what ever you think of them know them not secretly until you have pronounced the words appointed by the Law and enter not the bonds of marriage until the time set down in writing be accomplished God knoweth whatever is in your hearts take heed unto your selves he is gentle and gracious to them that fear him It is no sin to repudiate your Wives before you have touched them you shall give them some presents and do good unto them according to the proportion of your wealth or poverty and civilly intreat them as is the custom of honest Men. If you repudiate them before you have touched them and have bestowed on them any presents of garments moveables and other things they shall have the moity if they release it not to you or if the Husband remitting with his own
that believe in God if you obey the wicked they will cause you to return upon your steps you shall return to the number of the damned truly God is your Lord he is the best Protector I will put fear into the hearts of Infidels because they have without reason adored many Gods and the fire of Hell shall be their habitation God hath made the truth of his Promises to appear to you when by his permission you slew the Infidels until you were weary of fighting nevertheless you contradicted what the Prophet ordained you disobeyed him after he had caused you to see what you desired with affection There be among you that covet the Goods of this World and others that love the good things of Heaven God hath withdrawn you from the Infidels to try you he hath pardoned your sins he is bountiful to them that observe his Commandments When you retreated from the Combat and yielded without reason the Prophet recalled you and gave you to know your Errour with a thousand pains afflict not your selves with the loss of the spoil that escaped you at the day of Victory neither with the mischief that befel you when you were vanquished God knoweth all your Actions After your Labour he sent you great repose part of you slept in all safety and the residue suffered themselves to be carried away at their Pleasures they had thoughts of God contrary to the truth Think on the ignorant that say Have we seen any of the succour that God hath promised Say to them all things proceed from God. They conceal in their Souls what they publish not and say had we been free of our own Wills we had not been slain say to them although you had stayed in your Houses and in your Bâ—…ds death would have taken away them that were arrived at the hour of their Destiny God approveth what is in your hearts and knoweth what you have in your Souls Certainly the Devil seduced them that fled when the two Armies were in Battel and that because of some sin they had committed nevertheless God pardoned them he is gracious and merciful to his people O ye that believe be not like the Infidels that said speaking of their Brethren that were slain in the Army that had they continued in their Houses they had not dyed God putteth this sorrow in their heart because of their impiety he giveth life and death and beholdeth all your Actions if you be slain for his Law or die in his favour it shall be more advantagious to you than all the Treasures of the World and if you dye or be slain fighting for the Faith you shall appear before his Divine Majesty to be rewarded Through the grace of God thou hast rendred them docile although thou be severe to them they will not depart from thee pardon them pray for them Take their Advice in occasions offered and being resolved to do any thing trust thou in God he loveth them that trust in him he protecteth you none shall obtain Victory over you if he abandon you who shall protect you All the faithful ought to resign themselves to the Will of his Divine Majesty It is not Lawful for the Prophet to deceive he that shall be a deceiver shall appear at the Day of Judgment with his deceit to be judged then shall men be payed with what they have gained no injustice shall be done to them that shall have loved God and Hell shall be the habitation of them that through deceit shall return in the displeasure of his Divine Majesty They shall not be all equally entreated God shall appoint them their Rank and place he beholdeth all their Actions he assuredly rewarded the true Believers when he sent them a Prophet of their own Nation to preach to them his Commandments and instruct them in the Alcoran they before his coming were in a manifest Errour When any mischief befel you it also befel the Infidels you have demanded when doth this mischief come it proceedeth from your selves certainly God is Omnipotent What befel you when the two Camps encountred hapned through the permission of God to distinguish the true Believers that dispense their Goods with affection for the glory of his Divine Majesty from them that abandoned the fight when it was said to them Come fight for the Faith and answered had we thought of fighting we had not followed you then were they nearer to impiety than to the Faith nevertheless they had not all of them that in their heart that was in their mouth God knoweth what they keep secret There be of them that said to their Brethren Stay and go not to the Combat your Companions had not been slain had they obeyed us say to them Deliver your selves from death if you can avoid it continuing in your Houses Believe not that those that were slain for the Faith are dead on the contrary they are alive with God they rejoyce for that such as ran to hinder them to fight did not meet them fear not for them they shall rejoyce eternally in the favour of God he will abundantly reward them that fight for his Law. Those that obeyed God and the Prophet after being overcome that did good works and feared his Divine Majesty shall receive great rewards When it was told them the people have conspired against you take heed to your selves this Discourse increased their Faith and they said it sufficeth that God is our Protector they were filled with the grace of God no more evil befel them and they observed the Commandments of his Divine Majesty He is gracious to them that obey him The Devil will cause in you a fear of the Infidels fear them not but if you be good men fear me Afflict not your selves to see the wicked run to impiety they hurt not God he will not give them rest in the other World where they shall be severely chastised I increase the wealth of Infidels to augment their pain they shall in the end feel grievous torments God will not leave the faithful in the state that you are in he will one day separate the good from the evil he doth not teach you what is to come he for that effect chuseth among the Prophets whom he seeth good Believe therefore in God and his Prophets if you believe in God fear to offend him you shall be rewarded Believe that such as are too sparing and avaritious of the wealth that God hath given them do well on the contrary they do very ill what they spare without reason shall strangle them at the day of Judgment The inheritance of Heaven and Earth is Gods he knoweth all things Certainly God heard the Speech of them that said God is poor and we are rich he hath said I will write what they have spoken and keep an exact account of the Murther they have unjustly committed on the Persons of the Prophets I will say to them at the day of Judgment taste of the torments of
be with the true believers and receive from God a very great reward He will not send you misery if you give him thanks for his favours and obey him he accepteth the acknowledgment of his benefits and knoweth all things He willeth not that what evil is committed be published he that publisheth the evil he doth is very much to blame if you manifest the good you do or if you conceal it and abstain from doing evil he will be merciful to you he is Omnipotent Such as blaspheme against God and his Prophets his Apostles such as would make a distinction between the Commandments of his Divine Majesty and the precepts of his Prophets such as affirm ' they believe in some of the Prophets and believe not in all and take a middle way between faith and impiety are indeed impious we have prepared for them ignominious torments but they who believe in God and generally in all his Prophets and Apostles shall be recompensed of God gracious and merciful They that know the written Law will require thee to cause to descend from Heaven a Book and written Tables They demanded of Moses greater things and said Cause us to behold God with our eyes then thunder surprized them by reason of their impiety They adored the Calf after having had the knowledge of our Commandments nevertheless we pardoned them and gave to Moses an absolute dominion over them We raised the Mountain over them following our promises and said to them Enter the Gate of the Temple with adoration and humility and no longer transgress the observation of the day of Rest We for this matter received from them a strong promise but they swerved from what they had promised and we cursed them because of their impiety by reason of the Murther they committed without reason on the persons of the Prophets and of the words they uttered viz. Our heart is hardned Contrariwise God imprinted infidelity in their hearts they shall never believe in his Law except very few of them because of their malice and the blasphemies they vomited against Mary they said We have slain the Messiah Jesus the Son of Mary the Prophet and Apostle of God Certainly they slew him not neither crucified him they crucified one among them that resembled him such as doubt it are in a manifest error and speak not but through opinion Certainly they slew him not on the contrary God took him up to himself he is Omnipotent and prudent in all his actions Such as have the knowledge of Scripture ought to believe in Jesus before his death he shall be a witness against them of their actions at the Day of Judgment We have prohibited them that Judaize by reason of their sin things that were permitted them We have prepared for them great torment because they mis-lead the World from the right way because they take Use that is forbidden them and unjustly eat the substance of their neighbour Such of them as are profound in Learning and all the faithful believe in the Scriptures both ancient and modern I will give great rewards to them that shall make their prayers at the time appointed that shall pay Tyths and believe in the Day of Judgment We have sent thee our inspirations as we sent them to Noah and the Prophets after him as we heretofore sent them to Abraham Ismael Isaac Iacob the Tribes to Jesus Iob Ionas Aaron and to Solomon and gave the Psalter to David We have told thee who were the Prophets that preceded thee but we have not spoken to thee concerning the merits of all of them Moses spake to God as his Prophet and Apostle all declared his mercy and preached the torments of Hell to the end Men might have no cause of excuse God is Omnipotent and prudent in all his actions He shall be witness that the Alcoran was sent to thee with his Commandments the Angels likewise shall testifie it but it ought to suffice thee that God is witness The Infidels that hinder the People to follow the Law of God were exceedingly erroneous God will not pardon them he will lead them into the path of Hell where they shall remain eternally it is a thing easie to his Divine Majesty O People A Prophet is come to you who preacheth to you the Truth from the Lord believe him you shall do well if you believe him not know that whatever is in Earth and in Heaven is Gods and that God knoweth whatsoever you do O ye that understand the written Law Obey the Commandments of God and speak not of his Divine Majesty but with truth the Messiah Jesus the Son of Mary is a Prophet and an Apostle of God his Word and his Spirit which he sent to Mary believe therefore in God and in his Prophets and say not there be three Gods put an end to that discourse you shall do well For there is but one God praised be God he hath no Son whatever is in Heaven and in Earth obeyeth him it is sufficient that he is witness The Messiah esteemeth in no dishonour to be the servant of God neither the Angel nor the Cherubins He that holdeth it a dishonour to be at his service is too proud he shall assemble all the World at the Day of Judgment and every one shall receive the recompence that he shall have merited he shall augment his favours upon them that shall have believed in his Divine Majesty and have done good works he shall chastise them that shall have held it a dishonour to be his servants and have been proud upon the Earth they shall find no safe refuge but in his mercy O People God hath sent you a Protector a most strong argument and a most clear light they that shall trust in God shall enjoy his grace and he shall guide them into the right way They will enquire of thee concerning successions say to them God teacheth you touching successions as followeth if a Man decease without issue and hath a Sister she shall have the moity of what he shall leave and shall inherit it if she have no Children If they be two Sisters they shall have two thirds of what the deceased left if they be many Brothers and many Sisters the Son shall have as much as two Daughters God teacheth you his Commandments depart not from the right way he is Omniscient CHAP. V. The Chapter of the Table containing an hundred and twenty Verses written at Medina IN the name of God gracious and merciful O ye that believe in God! Satisfie what you have promised it is permitted you to eat of the Beasts that be in the World except of what shall be hereafter declared Hunting is forbidden you during the time that you shall go on Pilgrimage to Mecca God ordaineth what he will O ye that believe say not That it is permitted to do what God hath prohibited perform what is commanded you during the Month of Pilgrimage give no impediment to such as carry presents
were in the grace of God said to them enter at the Gate and fight against them you shall be Victorious trust in God if you believe in his Law They said O Moses we will not enter so long as those Tyrants dwell therein go and fight against them with thy Lord we will here attend Then said Moses Lord I dispose but of mine own and my Brothers person separate us from this wicked people the Lord said to him the entrance into the Holy Land is prohibited to this people they shall wander forty years upon the Earth in confusion and amazement afflict not thy self with the Deportments of the wicked teach them the History of the Sons of Adam how they offered Sacrifices how the Sacrifice of the one was accepted that of the other was not he through envy menaced his Brother to murther him his Brother said to him God receiveth the Sacrifices and Holocausts of such as have his fear before their eyes assuredly if thou extendest thine hand to slay me I will not stretch forth mine to hurt thee I fear the Lord of the Universe If thou chargest thy self with the murther of my Person with thy past sins thou shalt go to Hell where the unjust shall be punished The murther of his Brother seemed easie and advantagious for him he slew him and is in the number of the Damned God sent a Raven that made a Pit in the Earth and shewed him the manner to bury the Body of his Brother Then said he would to God I had been weak and impotent that I were like to this Raven I must bury the Body of my Brother and he was penitent for his offence by reason of this murther we ordained to the Children of Israel that he who shall slay a Person innocent shall be punished as if he had slain the whole World and he that shall give him his Life shall be recompensed as if he had given Life to the whole World. My Prophets came to the Children of Israel taught them my Commandments and caused them to see Miracles nevertheless many of them were disobedient the punishment of them that oppose the Will of God that of his Prophet and that endeavour to pollute the Earth is to be slain hanged to have the right foot and the left hand or right hand and the left foot cut off and to be extirpated from the Earth they shall have in this World shame on the Forehead and shall feel in the other great torments except such as shall be converted before their death and shall know that God is gracious and merciful O ye that believe fear God fight for his Law you perhaps shall be happy All the Treasures of the World shall not be able to redeem Infidels at the Day of Judgment they shall endure exceeding great torments they shall desire to go out of the fire of Hell but shall dwell there eternally Cut off the hands of those Men and Women that steal they contract upon themselves the wrath of the World and the punishment that God hath prepared for the wicked He that shall turn and do good works shall be pardoned God is gracious and merciful to the penitent Knowest thou not that the Kingdom of Heaven and of Earth is Gods that he chastiseth and pardoneth whom it pleaseth him and that he is Omnipotent O Prophet afflict not thy self to behold them running to impiety that say with the mouth we believe and have no Faith in their hearts neither for them that Iudaize and hearken to the lies of their Doctors to relate them to others they pervert the Language of the Old Testament and say If you be instructed in those Precepts you ought to observe them if they instruct you not in them take heed to your selves Such as make use of the name of God to move the people to Sedition are without Faith God will not purifie their hearts they shall have in this World shame upon the Forehead and feel in the other extream torments They listen to blasphemies and eat what is prohibited If they repair to thee and submit themselves to thy Judgment judge their Controversie with Equity converse not with them if thou depart from their Company they shall not hurt thee if thou givest judgment between them judge with Equity God loveth the Just How shall they submit to thy judgment seeing they have the Old Testament which containeth the Commandments of God They will not execute thy Judgment neither believe in the Old Testament wherein is the guide of the right way and a light to the Prophets to judge the differences arising among true Believers among Iews their Doctors and their Priests who study the Scripture and are Witnesses that it containeth the truth fear not the World but dread me sell not neither exchange my Commandments for any price Such as judge not conformably to the Law of God are Infidels We have ordained the Talio man for man an eye for an eye a nose for a nose an ear for an ear a tooth for a tooth a wound for a wound he that shall observe it shall do well and such as shall not judge conformably to the Law of God are unjust We sent after many Prophets Jesus the Son of Mary who confirmed the ancient Scriptures to him we gave the Gospel full of light to conduct the people to the right way with a confirmation of the Old Testament a guide and instruction for the righteous They that follow the Gospel ought to judge as it is commanded in the Gospel such as judge not conformably to what God hath taught them are disobedient to his Divine Majesty To thee have we sent the Book that containeth the truth and confirmeth the ancient Scritures determine the differences that shall arise among the people as I have inspired thee and follow not the Appetite of men that will abjure the truth which I have taught thee We have instructed all of you in a Law and assured means to lead you into the way of Salvation you should all have been of one and the same Religion had it so pleased God he hath done this to prove you Do good and know that you all shall be assembled before him and he shall resolve the doubts that are among you If thou judgest the differences that are among them judge conformably to what hath been inspired into thee and follow not their Appetites be careful they seduce thee not and move thee to doubt many things that God hath taught thee if they disobey his Commandments know he will severely punish them because of the Enormity of their Crimes The greatest part of the World are impious Do they affect the Judgment of the Ignorant What better Judge for the good is there than God O ye that believe obey not the Iews nor the Christians they mutually obey each other in their impiety he that shall obey them shall be like unto them God guideth not the unjust Thou seest such as are unstable in their Faith flock
to them and say they fear a change of times but God shall give advantage and Victory to his Prophet and they shall repent to have concealed in their minds the Miracles of his Divine Majesty What will they alledge for excuse who swore by the name of God exactly to observe their Religion and to be with you Their good works shall be unprofitable and they in the number of the Damned O ye that believe if you abandon your Faith God will put others in your place that shall love him and he them and this to your great ignominy and the advantage of converted Infidels that shall fight without fear for his Law Thus God bestoweth his grace as he seeth good he is liberal and Omniscient You ought certainly to obey God and his Prophet his Apostle they who believe in God that make their Prayers at the time appointed pay Tithes and are in the Protection of God and his Prophet shall be beloved of his Divine Majesty and be Victorious O ye true Believers obey not such as scoff at your Religion who have knowledge of the written Law obey not Infidels and if you are good men fear God obey not them that deride your Prayers it is the action of those that are unwise O ye that understand the written Law will you not abhor me if I believe not in God in what he hath inspired into me and into them that preceded me The greatest part of you are wicked Say to them did I instruct you to do evil when I preached to you the effect of Gods mercy Those whom he curseth against whom he is incensed whom he hath Metamorphosed into Apes and Swine and who have adored Idols shall be confined in the fire of Hell they are in a very evil way When they come to thee they will say they believe in the Law of God they will enter thine House with impiety and go forth in the like manner but God knoweth what they conceal in their heart Thou shalt see many of them embrace Paganism follow a lye eat what is forbidden and this to displease their Doctors and Priests who have forbidden them to speak lies and eat meats that are unclean The Iews said The hand of God is shut contrariwise it is their hand that is shut and they shall be accursed by reason of their discourse certainly the hands of God are open and he doth good to whom he pleaseth Many amongst them through impiety and disobedience alter what is in the Scripture but we have cast among them hatred and horror even to the Day of Judgment God hath extinguished the fire which they had kindled to make War against the righteous they endeavour to pollute the Earth but God detesteth such as cause disorder he remitteth their sins that know the Scripture believe in his Law and flie impiety they shall enter Paradise that is full of delights They have read the Old Testament the Gospel and all Scriptures they enjoy abundance of all good things nevertheless many have disobeyed the Commandments of God. O Prophet preach what God hath taught thee whether thou dost preach it or doest not he will defend thee from the malice of men he abhorreth Infidels O ye that know the written Law if you observe not the Old Testament the Gospel and Scriptures which God hath sent you you shall be without merit Many of them through impiety and ignorance pervert what is contained in the Scripture afflict not thy self with the actions of the impious The Jews Samaritans Christians all that shall have believed in God the Resurrection of the Dead and have done good works shall be exempt from affliction there is nothing for them to fear at the day of Judgment We received of the Children of Israel a promise to believe in our Prophets and Apostles Yet have they slandred many and slain such as would not follow their appetites they believed there was no punishment for their crimes and became deaf and blind After this God pardoned them nevertheless they returned in their sin and are again become deaf and blind God beholdeth all their deportments Certainly they who affirm the Messiah the Son of Mary to be God are impious the Messiah commanded the Children of Israel to worship God his and their Lord the entrance into Paradise is forbidden to him that shall say God hath a Companion equal to him Hell shall be his habitation and the unjust shall find none to protect them at the Day of Judgment Such as affirm there are three Gods are impious there is but one God if they desist not from such discourse they shall burn in the fire of Hell if they turn and implore pardon of God he will be to them gracious and merciful The Messiah the Son of Mary is a Prophet and Apostle of God like to the Prophets that came before him his Mother is holy and both of them did eat and drink Consider how I manifest my unity to Infidels how they blaspheme and depart from the Truth say to them Will you worship instead of God what can neither benefit nor hurt you God understandeth and knoweth all things O ye that have knowledge of the written Law speak of your Religion with reverence and follow not the appetites of such as go astray and walk in an evil way The Infidels were accursed by the Tongue of David and of Messiah the Son of Mary because of their disobedience they abstain not from things that are not approved they do them and through obstinacy will continue them Thou shalt see many of the Inhabitants of Mecca adhere to them by reason of the sin they conceal in their hearts God assuredly will be incensed against them and they shall be confined eternally in the torments of Hell. If they had believed in God in his Prophet and the Scriptures they had not obeyed Infidels but many of them are impious Thou shalt find the Iews and Inhabitants of Mecca who believe in many Gods to be very great enemies to the faithful and the Christians to have a great inclination and amity towards the true believers for that they have Priests and Religious that are humble who have eyes full of tears when they hear mention of the Doctrine which God hath inspired into thee because of their knowledge of the Truth and say Lord We believe in thy Law write us in the number of them that prosess thy Unity who hindreth us to believe in God and the Truth wherein we have been instructed We desire with passion O Lord to be in the number of the just God shall hearken to their Prayers and pardon them he shall open to them the Gate of Paradise wherein is the reward of the righteous and the Infidels shall inhabit the abyss of Hell. O ye who are true believers inhibit not the eating of what God hath permitted offend not God he abhorreth them that offend him eat of the meats that are lawful for you and have his fear before your
God hath spoken to them and hath said enter into Paradise and fear not you shall for ever be exempt from affliction the damned shall cry unto the Blessed Give us of the water which you drink and the meats that you eat they shall answer The drink and bread of Paradise is prohibited to Infidels who sported with their Faith that were proud of the wealth of the Earth and that scoffed at the Commandments of God he hath forgotten them because they forgot the coming of the Day of Judgment and blasphemed against his Precepts We are come to the Inhabitants of Mecca to instruct them in the Alcoran we teach it unto men to give them knowledge of the right way and to acquire the mercy of God if they believe in that Book Shall they expect to believe until they know its explication It s explication shall appear at the Day of Judgment that day such as shall have lived without Faith shall say Certainly the Prophets delivered the Truth shall we partake of their Prayers will they intercede for us until we return to the World to do better than we have done and to obey Gods Commandments But they shall be damned because of their Blasphemies God is your Lord he created the Heaven and the Earth in six days and sitteth on his Throne he causeth the Night incontinently to succeed the day the Sun the Moon and the Stars move at his Command and all the World obeyeth him praised be God Lord of the Uniniverse Pray to God privately and publickly he abhorreth the unjust pollute not the Earth after the Ordure is removed pray to God to avoid his Chastisements and obtain his mercy which is for the righteous It is God that sendeth the Winds to dissipate the Rain when they carry the Clouds we drive them charged with water into places dry dead and ruined and cause the Rain to fall there that they may produce Herbs and Fruits so will we cause the dead to arise again perhaps Men will remember the good Land bringeth forth good Fruits through the permission of its Lord and the bad Land produceth only Darnel I teach my Commandments to such as are not ingrateful Certainly we sent Noah to instruct Men he said O ye people worship one God alone if you adore other then him you shall be punished at the Day of Judgment their Rulers answered O Noah thou art in a great Errour He replyed I erre not I am a Messenger sent from God to preach his Will I give you most wholsome Advice God hath taught me what you know not Is it strange to you that he hath sent you his Commandment by the Tongue of a Man like your selves to declare to you the torments of Hell Fear God he will pardon your sins But they belyed Noah we saved him in the Ark with his Retinue and drowned those that contemned our Law they were altogether blind We sent Hod to his Brother Aâ—…d and to his Retinue he said O ye people worship one God alone whom will ye adore or whom fear but God The Teachers answered thou art in an extream ignorance we believe thee to be in the number of Lyars he replied I am not a Lyar I am a Messenger sent from God to preach his Commandments I give good and salutary Advice wonder not that God teacheth you his Precepts by the Tongue of a Man like you who declareth to you his Pleasure Remember that he left you on Earth after Noah that he encreased you in number force and power Call to mind his grace you shall be happy They answered are we come to this to worship one God alone and to relinquish what our Fathers adored Shew us the truth whereof thou dost preach if thou art true he said the wrath and indignation of God shall fall upon you will you dispute with us of the Names that you and your Fathers imposed on your Idols God did not enjoyn to worship them neither have you reason to do it expect your punishment I will expect it with perseverance Then did we deliver him from their Malice and all the true Believers that were with him and destroyed those Infidels by reason of their impiety We sent Salhe to Temod and his people he said to them O ye people worship but one God he shall shew you a Miracle in this Camel suffer it to feed on the Earth and do to it no harm lest you be chastised Remember how God left you on the Earth after Aad he gave you to dwell in the Valleys in the Plains and Mountains Remember God and pollute not the Earth any more Their Captains who were proud demanded of the poor if they believed that Salhe was indeed the Messenger of God they answered We believe in his words and in his Doctrin Then said those proud Men we abjure what ye believe we condemn him and they slâ—…w the Camel of Salhe in Dâ—…ision disobeyed the Commandments of God and said O Salhe Let us now see the punishment that thou didst preach if thou art of the Prophets at the same time an Earthquake with Thunder surprized them and they remained dead as Carcasses in their Houses Salhe forsook them and said O ye people I declared to you the Will of God with fidelity but ye detest them that affect you and give you good Counsels Remember thou how Lot spake to the People saying will you daily defile your selves with Whoredome and with a filthiness that was never yet seen in the World by any your Predecessors Will you love Men better than Women Will you love sin rather than Piety They said Let us expel Lot and his Family from our City for that they will not contaminate themselves with us but God delivered him out of their hands and those of his House except his Wife who continued with them that were punished We caused a Rain to fall upon them that destroyed all of them Consider the end of the wicked We sent Chaib to the Countrey of Madian he said O ye people worship one God alone weigh with good Weights measure with good Measure and retain nothing from your Neighbour Possess not the high ways to give terrour to the people neither divert true Believers from the Law of God Remember that you were but a small handful of Men and he caused you to multiply consider the end of the wicked If any among you embrace the Faith and others contemn it have patience until God judge your differences there is no better Judge than he Their Teachers said O Chiab we will banish thee from Madian thee and those that are of thy Fath if thou art of our Religion he answered should I not abhor your Religion I should blaspheme against God who hath delivered me I will follow it if it please God he knoweth all things I will commend my self wholly to the Will of his Divine Majesty Lord judge our Controversie thou art the best Judge of the World. Then said their Teachers to the
them to shelter them and how they believed it would fall upon their heads we said to them Learn with affection what we teach you and remember perhaps you will fear disobedience Thy Lord caused to come out of Adams Reins all his Posterity and asked them saying Am not I your Lord they answered yes thou art our Lord we know it well They cannot therefore say at the Day of Judgment That they knew not his unity they shall say for excuse Our Fathers adored many gods before us we are their Posterity wilt thou destroy us because of their iniquity Thus do I discover my mysteries to Men it may be they will be converted Relate to them the History of him that saw our miracles he was dispoiled of his understanding the Devil followed it and he was in the number of the wretched Had we so pleased we had exalted him through the knowledge of our wonders among the Doctors but he crouched to the ground and followed his own appetite like to a chafed Dog if thou chase him with Choler he putteth forth his Tongue if thou leave him at rest he will still put forth his Tongue like to the Infidels that contemn our instructions if thou recount to them our miracles or do not recount perhaps they will be converted perhaps they will not be converted and shall be like such as have abjured our Commandments and injured their own Souls He whom God guideth is well guided and he whom God mis-leadeth is in the number of the miserable We have created Hell to punish Devils and Men they have hearts and comprehend not the truth they have eyes and see it not ears have they and hear it not they are like to Beasts and worse than Beasts they are altogether ignorant The most beautiful names of the World appertain to God Beseech him by the beauty of his name and depart from them that depart from the truth through the names that they impose on their Idols they shall be chastised after their demerits Some there be that follow the truth and judge with equity I will by degrees punish them that shall reject our Commandments when they shall think thereon I will defer their punishment some time because my wrath is violent Remember they not that they said Mahomet is possest of the Devil On the contrary he declareth the joys of Paradise and preacheth the torments of Hell. Consider they not the Kingdom of Heaven and of Earth which God hath created of nothing The fear of Death shall arrive before they have acknowledged their sins in what will they believe if they have no Faith in the Alcoran He whom God shall mis-lead shall find none to guide him he shall leave Infidels confounded in their disobedience They shall enquire of thee concerning the Hour and Day of Judgment Say unto them No Man knoweth it but God but the greatest part of the World believe it not I have not power to do either good or evil of my self if God do not permit it if I knew the future I should provide wealth to preserve me from poverty I am sent only to declare the joyes of Paradise and preach the torments of Hell to them that believe in God he it is that created you of one sole person and created his spouse of his Rib to dwell with her When she doubted of being with Child she ceased not to travel as she was wont but when her conception rendred her heavy they both besought God their Lord and said Lord give an happy progeny to the end we may be in the number of them that return thee thanks for thy favours When God gave them a Son a righteous Man they associated him in what he had given them and all of them exalted the glory of his Divine Majesty above the Idols of the Infidels that adored things which could create nothing that are things created and can do neither good nor harm If you call Idolaters to the right way they will not follow you if ye invoke Idols misery shall be upon you will you be mute to profess the unity of God Will you worship the Creatures instead of the Creator Go adore your Idols and may they hear your prayers if you believe them to be Gods Have they Feet to walk Hands to touch Eyes to see and Ears to hear Say unto them If ye invoke your Idols and conspire against me you shall find none to protect you God is my protector he hath caused the Alcoran to descend from Heaven he is the defendor of the righteous what ye adore can neither benefit nor hurt you If thou invokest Idols they shall not hear thee they shall look upon thee and shall not see thee do what is lawful to be done command things honest and depart from the ignorant if the Devil would seduce thee trust in God he heareth and knoweth all things such as fear him remember his mercies and chastisements when they are tempted of the Devil Although Infidels know the Truth the Devil ceaseth not to continue them in their sin they always follow their impiety If thou goest to them to instruct them they say thou singest an old Song say unto them I do what my Lord inspired into me what I teach you is the light of Faith the right way and the grace of God for them that believe in his Divine Majesty for such as hear the Alcoran and study it perhaps God will give you his mercy Remember thou God in thy Soul worship in publick and private pray unto him evening and morning and be not in the number of the ignorant The Angels that are near to thy Lord neglect not to worship him they praise and adore him with humility CHAP. VIII The Chapter of the Spoil containing seventy and five Verses written at Medina IN the name of God gracious and merciful They will demand of thee to whom appertaineth the spoyl Say unto them the spoyl appertaineth to God and his Prophet Fear God live with mutual amity and obey his Divine Majesty and his Prophet if you believe in his Law Such as fear when they hear mention of God who augment their faith when they have heard relation of his miracles who trust in him who persevere in their prayers and dispend in pious works some part of their wealth believe in the unity of his Divine Majesty they have the degree of their habitation in Paradise shall receive from their Lord pardon of their sins and exceeding great treasure When thy Lord caused thee to go out of thine House to go against the Infidels a party of the true believers had a great aversion to sighting they disputed with thee the necessity of Combates having seen and known that their Enemies led them to a certain Death Call to mind that God promised you that a party of the Army of the Enemies should obey you Desire you other thing thâ—… the glory and honour of Victory God confirmeth the Truth by his words and destroyeth the wicked
Quarter of you give them Quarter to the end they may learn the word of God teach them his Commandments for they are ignorant How should they have Truce with God and his Prophet If they believe neither in the one nor the other except them with whom you entred Truce in the Temple of Mecca If they observe their promise to you observe what ye promised to them God loveth such as have his fear before their eyes How shall they have Truce with you If they have advantage over you they will respect neither your alliance nor confederacy They will speak well of you and contemn you in their heart the greatest part of them are impious they have preferred the riches of this World to the Commandments of God and have hindred the People to follow his Law as if they knew not what they did they bear no respect to the True believers wherein they are exceedingly to blame If they turn and make their prayers at the time appointed if they pay Tithes they shall be your Brethren in God. I teach the mysteries of faith to such as have understanding to comprehend them if they break their promise and disturb them of your Religion kill their Captains as persons without faith they will perhaps put an end to their impiety Slay such especially that renounce their faith who have endeavoured to drive the Prophet from Mecca and have begun to slay you will you fear them Will ye be terrified by them It is reasonable that ye fear God if ye believe in his Law fight them God shall chastise them by your hands he shall render them dishonourable and protect you against them he shall fortifie the hearts of True believers and expel melancholy he pardoneth whom he seeth good knoweth all things and is most prudent in what he ordaineth Think ye to be forsaken of God and that he discerneth not them that have fought gallantly for his Law from such as have adored Idols and disobeyed his Prophet The True believers abandon not their Religion another time to profess it God knoweth all your actions Infidels must not enter into the Temple of Mecca knowing that they are Infidels the good works which they shall do in this World shall be unprofitable and they shall dwell eternally in the fire of Hell. They that believe in God and the Day of Judgment that make their prayers at the time appointed pay Tithes and worship one God alone shall visit the Temples of his Divine Majesty and such as fear the Creatures more than the Creator err from the right way We have ordained that such as shall bear fresh Water to Pilgrims and them that shall visit the Temple of Mecca shall be in the number of them that believe in God and the Day of Judgment Such as fight for the faith are not all equal in graces and merits before God he guideth not the unjust Such as have believed in God as have departed from the wicked and employed their wealth and persons to fight for his Law shall have a particular degree and a particular place near to his Divine Majesty they shall be the more happy God through his goodness declareth to them that they shall enter into delicious Gardens where they shall remain eternally there is with God a very great reward O ye that believe obey not your Fathers nor your Brothers that love rather to follow impiety than the faith Such as shall obey them shall offend exceedingly if your Father your Children your Brothers your Wives your Parents your friends the wealth that you have gained the fear of losing your riches and apprehension of poverty have more of power over you than God and his Prophet and hinder you to fight for the faith the Commandment of God shall be executed against you he guideth not the wicked and hath protected you in many occasions Remember the day of Battle of Hanin when ye rejoyced in the multitude of your Men it did not advantage you fear made you find the place too narrow for flight and ye turned the Back as vanquished Remember that God at that time put his Prophet and the true Believers in a place of safety and sent invisible Troops to chastise the Infidels he pardoneth sins as seemeth good to him he is gracious and merciful O ye that believe in God! Unbelievers are unclean permit not that they enter into the Temple of Mecca after this year if ye have apprehension of want God shall enrich you with his Grace if it please him he is Omniscient and most prudent Fight against them that believe not in God nor the Day of Judgment that forbid not to act what God hath prohibited and his Prophet hath forbidden and that judge not according to the Law of truth wherein they were instructed who heretofore received the written Law they chuse rather to pay Tribute than to be converted therefore are they contemptible The Iews have said that the Son of God is most powerful the Christians that the Messiah is the Son of God their words are like to the words of the Infidels that preceded them but God shall lay upon them his Curse Consider how they blaspheme they adore their Doctors and Priests and the Messiah also the Son of Mary who commanded them to worship one God alone there is but one 〈◊〉 God praised be God there is nothing equal to him they would extinguish the light of God with their mouth but he shall not suffer them he shall cause it to appear notwithstanding it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Infidels He hath sent his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men into the right way to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law of Truth and to make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all other Laws of the World 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will of Idolaters O ye that truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many of the Doctors and Priests eaâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them from the Law of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as â—…reasure up and expend nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…s works they shall suffer great torments at the day when the fire of Hell shall be kindled upon them it shall burn their Forehead sides and back it shall be said to them behold the wealth which ye have treasured up for your Souls taste the Fruits of your Treasures which ye have amassed When God created the Heaven and the Earth he ordained the year of twelve Months amongst which four are priviledged Offend not God especially in those Months fight at all times against Unbelievers as they will fight against you and know that God is with them that have his fear before their eyes Sloth and forgetfulness abound in impiety God misâ—…eadeth through negligence the Unbelievers that prefer one Month to another in imitation of what is commanded they permit to do what God hath forbidden and delight in the Malice of their Actions but God is not the guide of the wicked O ye that believe wherefore have ye inclined to the Earth Why did ye prefer the wealth of this World to that of Paradise when you
were commanded to go forth of your Houses to fight for the Law of God The Riches of this World are contemptible if you consider those of Heaven if you leave not your Houses to fight with the Prophet God shall severely punish you and put other Persons in your places you shall not protect the Prophet God alone is his Protector he protected him when he went out of Mecca he with his Companion they being both in a Cave he said to his Companion afflict not thy self God is with us He hath defended and succoured us by invisible Troops he hath debased the word of Unbelievers and exalted that of true Believers he is Omnipotent and wise Fight according to your power for the Law of God you shall do well if you have knowledge to understand it if you require the wealth of this World Honour and Reputation they are not far from you they follow you at hand but the punishment of Crimes and Misery are as yet far remote of Infidels they swear by the Name of God that they were unable to go out of Mecca with the Prophet in which they destroy their Souls for God knoweth them to be Lyars excuse them not that thou knowest not them that spoke truth and those that were Lyars True Believers will not excuse themselves from fighting or employing their wealth and Persons for the Law of God he knoweth such as fear him They that believe not in God neither the Day of Judgment refuse to go with thee they doubt the Mysteries of Faith but shall continue in their doubt to their confusion had they inclined to go out against the Enemy they had Arms to perform it God contemned their going out rendred them negligent and caused them to remain with the sick the Women and Children had they gone forth with you they had brought with them more of disorder than affection to the Service of his Divine Majesty they hate you nevertheless you hearken to them God knoweth them that are to blame they hated thee heretofore accused thee of all their mischief until through the permission of God the truth appeared against their Will many of them said excuse us and scandalize us not and they fell themselves into scandal and impiety but Hell is the Habitation of those wicked Persons if good happen to you they are discontented if evil befal you they say they took heed to themselves and foresaw iâ—… and depart from you with joy say unto them nothing befel us but what God had ordained he is our Lord all true Believers are resigned to the Will of his Divine Majesty say unto them will ye expect that one of the two Graces either Victory or Martyrdom befal us we will expect with you until God hath chastised you by our hands expect we will expect with you say unto them expend through force or affection for the glory of God your works shall not be accepted of him because you are Infidels your Alms shall be unprofitable for that you believe not in God nor in his Prophet ye praise not God but with negligence and with regret for what you spend for his Service Be not then amazed at the quantity of their Treasures neither the number of their Children God shall make use of them to punish them in this World and shall destroy them with their wickedness They swear by the name of God that they are yours and are not and fear to be discovered if they meet with any Den Cave or House wherein to hide them they speedily repair thither There be of them that say it is ignominious to give Alms if they give Alms it is with Choler if they gave them for the love of God and his Prophet they would say God is our Benefactor he will give us through his Grace and to the Prophet whatsoever shall be necessary our hope is in him Alms are appointed for the poor for them that recommend themselves to God to redeem Slaves for such as are in Debt and necessitous God knoweth all things and is most prudent in what he ordaineth There be among them who deprave the Prophet and say he shall understand what we say say unto them should it be to you a great advantage to hear well The Prophet believeth in God and teacheth true Believers the Truth the mercy of God is for them that believe in his Divine Majesty Such as detract from the Prophet shall feel grievous torments they swear by the Name of God that they desire to content God and his Prophet it is reasonable that they content them if they be good Men know they not that such as transgress the Will of God and that of his Prophet shall be eternally damned The wicked fear lest God should discover to the righteous the Malice that they conceal in their Souls and that they contemn them Say unto them ye shall be contemned for God bringeth to light what you fear If you question them concerning what they say they will answer for excuse that they had no evil intent and that they but jeast say unto them will you jeast with God with his Commandments and his Prophets There is none excuse for you ye are truely impious if God pardon any one of you he shall rigorously punish such as persist to offend him The wicked teach among them impiety to their Posterity they depart from the truth they go hand in hand and agree to disobey God they forget God and God forgetteth them he hath prepared Hell for them where they shall remain eternally he hath Cursed them and they shall feel the torment of infinite pains The wicked that were before you shall undergo them like you they were more powerful than you they possessed store of wealth and had many Children they possessed part of their substance and ye possess yours as did your Predecessours ye were plunged in impiety as they were plunged but the good works that they have done in this World shall be to them unprofitable and at the Day of Judgment they shall be in the number of the miserable Have they not known the History of their Predecessours the History of the people of Noah of Aad of Temod of Abraham and the Cities that were subverted The Prophets preached to them the Commandments of God who did to them no injustice they drew affliction on themselves through the Enormity of their Crimes The true Believers mutually obey each other they command to do what things are honest prohibit to act what is not approved they make their Prayers at the time appointed distribute Tithes obey God and his Prophet God shall remit to them their sins he is Omnipotent and hath promised to them Gardens wherein flow many Rivers and an Habitation full of content in Eden he hath promised them his Grace which is the perfection of felicity O Prophet fight against the Infidels fortifie thy self against them Hell shall be their Habitation they shall swear by the Name of God that they have not traduced thee
his people in this World they go astray from the way of thy Law confound their riches and harden your hearts they will not believe until they see thy judgments and feel the effect of thy wrath he said I have heard the prayers of you both be faithful in your Embassie and follow not the way of the ignorant We gave passage through the Sea to the Children of Israel Pharaoh pursued them with hatred and envy until his people were drowned Then said Pharaoh believe there is none other God but the God of the Children of Israel and I wholly recommend my self to his Will. Thou dost now believe in God O Pharaoh and wert before disobedient to his Commandments filling the Earth with they enormities I have delivered thee from this peril that thou maist be an example to posterity for many among the people are ignorant of my Omnipotency We gave the Children of Israel to dwell in places full of delights and enriched them with the good things of the Earth they knew the differences that arose among them touching Religion thy Lord shall judge them at the Day of Judgment If thou doubtest what we have taught thee repair to them that have read the Scripture before thee what thy Lord hath taught thee is most true be not thou of them that doubt neither of such as derogate from the Commandments of God thou shalt be in the number of the wretched Those whom God will chastise shall not believe in his Divine Majesty should they behold all the miracles of the World until they see the torments of Hell. The faith is exceeding profitable to the Cities that have received it when the Inhabitants of the City of Ionas embraced it we delivered them from our punishment we delivered them from ignominy and enriched them until the time appointed if it pleased thy Lord all the World should believe in him wilt thou abhor the People until they believe in God No Man can embrace the faith without his permission he sendeth his indignation against them that disobey his Commandments Say unto them Consider all that is in Heaven and Earth miracles and preaching are of no use to such as will not believe shall they expect what their Predecessors expected Say unto them expect I will expect with you I will deliver my Prophets and the true believers from the torments of Hell it is reasonable that I deliver them that obey my Commandments O People who causeth you to doubt of the Law which I teach you I will not worship the Idols that you adore I worship one God alone who shall cause you all to dye I will embrace his Law it commandeth to profess his Unity I am not of them that say he hath a Companion equal to him Adore not what can neither benefit nor hurt thee if thou do it thou shalt be in the number of the unjust If God will afflict thee none can deliver thee from affliction if God will do good to thee none can deprive thee of his grace he hath given it to whom seemeth good to himself he is gracious and merciful O people God teacheth you the truth whosoever shall follow the right way shall save his Soul and whosoever shall go astray shall destroy it I am not your Tutor I do but what is inspired into me I have patience in my perseverance I will expect the judgment of God there is no better Judge than he CHAP. XI The Chapter of Hod containing an hundred twenty and three Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I am the merciful God. The signs contained in this Book are most true they proceed from the most wise who knoweth all things Worship ye but one God alone I preach to you from him the torments of Hell and declare the Joys of Paradise that ye may implore pardon of his Divine Majesty and be converted he shall give you an happy Life in the World until the time appointed and shall reward every one according to his works I fear lest you should be chastised at the Day of Judgment if you forsake the right way you all shall be assembled before God to be judged The heart of the impious inclined to hatred of the Prophet and they would have concealed themselves for some time from God they are covered with their garments that they may not be known but God knoweth what is in their Souls he understandeth whatsoever they conceal and whatsoever they make manifest All the Creatures of the World live of his grace he knoweth the place of their repair and the place where they must die all is written in an intelligible Book that explaineth all things He it is that created Heaven and Earth in six days his Throne was before upon the Waters the Alcoran exhorteth you to well-doing If thou saist to the wicked that they shall rise again after their Death they will say it is but Witchcraft and Sorcery if we retard some time to chastise them they say there is no punishment for their crimes but they shall not avoid it in the day when it shall appear and they shall feel the rigour of the pains which they contemn If we confer riches and health on the impious and deprive them of them they despair in their impiety if we give them good after their evil they say misery hath forsaken them they rejoyce and become arrogant Such as are humble and patient in their afflictions and do good works shall obtain pardon of their sins and a very great reward Perhaps thou wilt forget to teach something of what I have inspired into thee and be afflicted because they say that what thou speakest shall bring thee no profit Certainly thou art sent only to reprove them of their sin thy Lord is Omnipotent and shall chastise them after their demerits Assuredly they will say thou hast forged the Alcoran and that it is of thy invention Say unto them Come and bring with you ten Chapters of your invention like to the Alcoran in instruction and eloquence and call to your aid the Idols that ye adore if you be righteous if they hear not your prayers neither afford you succours know then that the Alcoran descended from Heaven through Gods permission and that there is but one sole God will ye not trust in him I will bestow the riches and honours of the Earth on many persons that affect them and in the end they shall be confined in the fire of Hell and the good works that they shall do in this World shall be unprofitable in the other They who observe what God hath ordained study the Alcoran and believe that it proceedeth from his Divine Majesty to teach the right way and to obtain his mercy as before it was the Book of Moses Such as shall believe in the Alcoran shall be happy doubtless the fire of Hell is prepared for the Infidels who will not believe therein but the greatest part of the World is incredulous
it confirmeth the ancient Scriptures and teacheth True believers the way of Salvation CHAP. XIII The Chapter of Thunder containing forty three Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I am the most wise and merciful God. These Precepts are the Precepts of the Book sent to thee from thy Lord it is a thing most true but few Men incline to believe it It is sent from God who raised Heaven without a Prop and with a Column that appeareth and sitteth on his Throne disposing all things He causeth the Sun and Moon to move until the day appointed he disposeth all things at his will and manifesteth to Men the signs of his Omnipotency Peradventure you will believe in the Resurrection of the flesh He it is that hath extended the Earth raised the Mountains caused the Rivers to flow who created of all sorts of Fruits the Male and Female and covereth the Day with the obscurity of the Night These things are signs of his unity to such as consider them He hath created many Fields of divers sorts and Gardens filled with Grapes and many different Fruits he created Date Trees thick as Groves and Forests and others that are scattered through the Fields some are moistened with Waters and others have a more pleasing taste These things are signs of his unity to such as consider them Thou art amazed at the lies of Infidels be astonished at their discourses when they deny the Resurrection and say What shall God yet once again create us of the dust of the Earth When we shall be Earth shall we be a new people They are impious they shall have Oaks upon their Necks and shall remain eternally in the fire of Hell they precipitate themselves into eternal pains and contemn the mercy of God so did their predecessors but God is gracious to such as convert Chastise severely the obstinate Infidels They have said We will not believe in the Prophet unless we see some miracle to appear Say unto them I am not sent but to preach the word of God. He hath sent persons to every Nation to teach them the right way nothing is hid from him in the World he knoweth what Women bear in their Womb he knoweth the time and period of every thing the present past and future he is great and Omnipotent He understandeth what you keep secret and what ye make manifest he knoweth where they be who cover themselves with the obscurity of Night and them that travel in the clearness of Day every one hath his guardian by his commandment who observeth what he doth and depriveth none of grace that hath not offended his Divine Majesty and none can hinder him to punish whom it seemeth good to him He it is who giveth you to see the lightning which terrifieth Men and nourisheth his Creatures by the Rain which he causeth to fall he created the Clouds charged with moysture causeth Thunder to make a noise darteth the Thunderbolt and striketh whom it pleaseth him the Angels tremble in his Presence yet do the wicked dispute his Omnipotency He it is who ought to be implored the prayers of them who implore another God are ineffectual they are like to such as are very thirsty and stretch forth the hand towards a Fountain to which they cannot reach the prayers of the wicked are impiety Whatsoever is in Heaven and in the Earth the shadow of the Morning the obscurity of the Evening humble themselves before God through force or affection Say unto them Who is the Lord of Heaven and Earth but God Who except God shall protect you your Idols can neither benefit nor hurt you Is the blind like unto him that seeth clearly Is darkness like unto light Shall they adore the Creatures instead of the Creator God hath created all things and is Omnipotent he causeth Rain to descend from Heaven and Rivers covered with Foam to flow in the Valleys The Gold the Silver and Metals which ye melt to adorn and enrich your selves are like unto Froth Thus doth God teach what is profitable and what unprofitable Froth suddenly vanisheth and is of no utility to Men So falshood vanisheth before Truth Thus doth God speak through a Parable to them that obey him and giveth them Paradise All the riches of the Earth and as much again cannot ransom the Infidels they shall be eternally tormented in the fire of Hell. Who knoweth that the truth contained in this Book was not sent to thee from God He that doubteth is blind Men of Spirit do not doubt They who satisfie what they promise to God who transgress not his Commandments who have his fear before their eyes who apprehend the Day of Judgment who are patient in their afflictions for love of his Divine Majesty who make their prayers at the time appointed who give alms privately and publickly and blot out their offences with good works shall be blessed They shall enter into the Garden of Eden with their Father their Wives and Families the Angels shall visit them shall salute them and say Behold the recompence of your perseverance behold eternal grace Such as shall swerve from their promise and disobey the Commandments of God and pollute the Earth shall be accursed of God and severely chastised he giveth and depriveth of wealth as seemeth good to him The unbelievers rejoyce in the riches of the Earth but those riches are of little value if they consider them of the other World. They say If Mahomet doth not make some miracle to appear from God we will not believe him Say unto them God guideth and mis-leadeth whom it pleaseth him he confirmeth the hearts of them that have faith in his Law the remembrance of God confirmeth the hearts of True Believers Such as shall do good works shall be happy We have sent thee as we did send other Prophets to them that preceded thee Teach the people what we have inspired into thee When they shall disobey thee say unto them God is my Lord there is but one God alone I am wholly resigned to his Divine Will my refuge is in his goodness If the Alcoran should make Mountains to go should it cause the Earth to open and the Dead to arise all would proceed from God. True Believers ought not to despair of any thing God shall guide all the World into the right way when it shall please him and unbelievers shall not escape the punishment of their crimes Thou shalt dwell with them until the word of God be fulfilled He swerveth not from what he promiseth they derided the Prophets that came before thee I prolonged the time of their punishment and in the end rigorously chastised them and with what afflictions Doth not God behold the actions of every Man They have said God hath Companions to whom they have given names after their fancy will you instruct God in any thing The wicked take delight in their wickedness and are gone astray from the right way He whom
that should there make processions Men shall come thither to visit thee from all parts on foot and on Horse-back they shall receive profit they shall there make their prayers at the times appointed and the days nominated they shall thank the Lord for his benefits towards them and the Riches which he hath given them and shall make likewise processions at the old Temple He that shall reverence it shall do exceeding well and shall be recompenced of his Lord. It is lawful for you to eat of all clean Beasts except of such as have been heretofore prohibited Depart from the pollution of Idols beware of bearing false witness and be obedient to God. He that saith God hath a Companion is like to him that fell headlong from Heaven whom the Birds devoured and the wind cast into a remote place full of miseries He that shall reverence the signs of the power of God will not doubt of his Law and shall be rewarded for his good works at the time appointed if he visit the old Temple of Mecca We have given to all Nations of the World a Law to offer their Sacrifices and to return thanks to their Lord for having given them advantage above all sorts of Beasts Your God is one God obey his Commandments proclaim a great reward to them that are obedient to him to them that tremble with fear when they hear mention of his name that are patient in their adversity that pray at the time appointed and dispence in alms some part of the wealth that we have given them We have created the female Camel for a sign of our unity she shall be profitable to you in this World. Remember to pronounce the Name of God when ye shall sacrifice her standing on her feet when she shall fall dead on the ground eat of her flesh if it like you and give to eat to such as shall require it We have made her subject to you peradventure ye will be thankful to me for this grace God promoteth before him neither the flesh of this Beast nor the blood but onely the good works that ye perform He hath thus subjected it That ye may exalt it and give him thanks for having guided you into the right way Proclaim to the righteous That God will remove far from them the malice of the wicked he abhorreth Traytors and the ingrateful Declare to such as fight against Infidels to repair the injury they have done them that God is sufficiently powerful to protect them When they were driven from their houses without reason they said God is our Lord Had not God stirred up the people against each other the Covents of the Religious the Churches of the Christians the Synagogues of the Jews and the Temples of the Believers had been ruined through the multitude of the wicked and their malice The name of God is exalted in the Temples of believers and therein is his Law defended and protected God is most strong he hath all power over his people Those whom God hath established on Earth with victory over their enemies make their prayers in the manner ordained pay Tithes and enjoin to do what is honest and civil forbid to do what is prohibited of God who knoweth the end of all things If the Infidels traduce thee their predecessors traduced Noah Aad Chaib Abraham and Lot they also slandered Moses God for a time deferred their punishment but in the end most severely chastised them How many Cities have we destroyed because of their impiety We have overthrown and made them desart through the death of their inhabitants Shall those of Mecca walk for ever upon Earth with an hard heart without reflecting upon what hath heretofore befaln the Infidels Their eyes are not blind but their hearts are blind and hardned They will require thee to cause the wicked to be speedily chastised God will not go against what he hath promised One day before thy Lord is as a thousand years before men How often hath the punishments of impâ—…ous Cities been deferred that in the end were destroyed The whole world shall one day be assembled before me to be recompenced after their merits Say unto them O people I preach unto you publickly the torments of Hell such as shall believe and do good works shall receive pardon of their sins and a precious treasure they that shall endeavour to make void the faith shall be damned We sent our Prophet to read only our Commandments to the people the unbelievers read many things that are not in the Alcoran but God hath made vain what the Devil had there inserted and confirmed the precepts of his Law What the Devil there inserted serveth for sâ—…dition to them that are weak in their faith and have an hard heart The Infidels are in an exceeding great error and are far from the Truth Such as have the knowledge of Scripture know that the Alcoran is truth it self which proceedeth from thy Lord They believe in it and humble their heart in reading it God guideth into the right way such as believe in the truth The Infidels shall be in doubt until they be surprized of the day of Judgment That day shall they be rigorously chastised that day shall God command and judg the good and the bad the righteous that shall have believed and done good works shall enter into delicious Gardens and the Infidels that shall have disobeyed his Commandments shall suffer exceeding great torments They that departed from Mecca and went to Medina to abandon the society of unbelievers and were slain or died of sickness shall be rewarded of his divine Majesty God is the greatest benefactor in the world he shall give them to enter where they shall desire he is omniscient and most merciful The believers that shall take revenge of the injury that the unbelievers have done them shall be protected of God He is gracious and merciful towards his people he maketh day to enter into night and night into day he heareth the prayers of True believers and seeth whatsoever they do and will protect them because he is truth it self Idols are but vanity and God is most high and omnipotent Dost thou not consider that God sendeth the rain from Heaven and that the Earth becometh green He is benign to his people and knoweth all things whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth is his he hath no need of his people and ought to be exalted Seest thou not that God hath subjected to you all the beasts that are upon the earth Seest thou not that the ship runneth upon the sea through his command to transport you and your substance Seest thou not that he hindreth Heaven to fall upon the Earth certainly he is benign and merciful He it is that hath given you life and death he shall make you to die and shall raise you again nevertheless man is ingrateful for his favours We have given a law to all the Nations of the World to guide them into the right
most miserable Pharoah said to his Ministers do ye know any other God but me O Hâ—…min let me offer sacrifices and build a Temple shall I deceive my self with the God of Mâ—…ses I believe him to be in the number of lyars He became proud on earth with his Ministers and they believed that they should never be assembled 〈◊〉 me to be judged we surprized him with his people and caused him to perish in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of unbelievers we abandoned them and they are in the number of the condemned to the fire of hell They shall find none to protect them at the day of Judgment we cursed them on earth and at the day of the Resurrection they shall be abominable to all the world We taught Moses our Commandments after the destruction of many Infidels before his coming We gave him the Book to be a light to the people to conduct them into the right way and acquire our grace peradventure they will remember Thou wert not with Moses when we spake to him to him we created another age after him thou didst not at that time dwell with the Inhabitants of Madian neither didst thou teach them our Commandments it is we that have instructed thee in the History of past ages thou wert not on the mountain when we spake to Moses we sent thee through our special grace to preach to men the torments of hell they have not yet had a preacher like unto thee perhaps they will consider it when they felt any punishment for their sins they said Lord hadst thou sent us an Apostle to instruct us we should have obeyed thy Commandments and have believed in thy Law and when on our part they were instructed in the Truth they said doth Mahomet work miracles like Moses Do they not traduce what Moses did when they say that Moses and Mahomet are two apparent Sorcerers and when they said that they believed neither Prophet nor Scripture Say unto them bring any book from God that better teacheth the right way than the Old Testament and more savingly than the Alcoran I will follow it if ye speak the truth If they be not heard when they shall require this book know that they follow only their own appetites and their impiety who is more erroneous than he that followeth but his own passion and is not guided of God He guideth not Infidels Certainly we have sent them the Alcoran peradventure they will believe in it they to whom we heretofore sent this Book believe in the contents thereof when they hear it read they say we believe in those words it is the very Truth that proceedeth from God we believe in the Unity of his Divine Majesty they shall be doubly rewarded because they have persevered in well-doing they have overcome evil through their good deeds and have expended in good works part of the Wealth that we gave them When they heard the Faith evil spoken of they withdrew themselves took leave of the company and said Ye shall answer for your selves and we for our actions Regard not the ignorant thou shalt not convert all them that thou shalt desire to convert God converteth and guideth into the right way whom he pleaseth and knoweth such as serve him They said if I follow with thee the right way I must forsake my Country Shall not I establish them in a place of safety where they shall find all sorts of fruits to enrich them But the greatest part of the People know it not How many Cities have we destroyed that took pleasure in their evil life No man inhabited them any more except very few and we became heirs of their riches God shall not destroy Mecca until he have sent an Apostle to instruct the Inhabitants thereof in the right way God destroyeth not a City if the Inhabitants be not unjust and disobey not his Commandments the Wealth of this World which ye possess pleaseth you but the Riches of Heaven are much better and eternal will ye not understand it Have we not kept promise with them to whom we promised Paradise And with them to whom we promised the Riches of this World and in the end were in the number of the damned Be thou mindful of the day when thy Lord shall call them and say unto them where are your Idols which ye believed to be my Companions The chief of them shall say Lord behold those that were seduced like us we are innocent of their Idolatry they adored not us they shall speak that day to the Idolaters to invoke their Idols but they shall not hear them they shall be visibly chastised on Earth Be thou mindful of the day when thy Lord shall call them and say unto them Wherefore have ye not believed my Apostles and my Prophets They shall be confounded and remain dumb He that shall be converted and do good works shall be happy Thy Lord createth what pleaseth him and maketh choice of what seemeth to him good Praised be God he hath no Companion he knoweth what is in the hearts of men and what they make manifest he is God there is no God but he praise is due to him in the beginning and in the end he commandeth over all things and all People shall one day be assembled before him to be judged say unto them Had God given a continual Night even until the Day of Judgment what other God is there that is able to give you light Will ye not hear me Had God given you a continual Day until the Day of Judgment what other God could have given the Night to refresh you Will ye not consider his benefits and his grace He hath created the Night for repose and the Day for Labour peradventure ye will give him thanks Be thou mindful of the Day when thy Lord shall call the Infidels and shall say unto them where are the Idols that ye worshipped We will call a witness of every Nation and will say to the Idolaters Bring your arguments that may prove the Plurality of Gods Ye shall this day know your Blasphemies and that there is but one God. Caron was of the People of Moses he was proud because of his riches we gave so great treasures that many men were burthened when they conveyed away the Keyes Remember how his People said unto him Rejoyce not above measure in thy great wealth God abhorreth them that rejoyce without reason beg of him Paradise with thy Riches forget not to do good in this World give alms of the substance which God hath given thee be not disobedient to him on Earth he abhorreth those that disobey him these Riches were given thee because thou didst instruct the People in the Old Testament knowest thou not that God destroyed in times past many rich and opulent persons Who is more strong more powerful more rich than God He will not enquire of the wicked the number of their sins he knoweth all and the accompt Caron one daâ—… went forth
one God fear the day of Judgment and defile not the Earth They impudently traduced him but were surprized by an Earthquake and remained dead in their houses as carkasses We destroyed Aad and Temod their ruine is yet apparent in the places of their habitations the Devil tempted and seduced them from the right way notwithstanding they knew their error We destroyed Caron Pbaroah and Haman Moses preached to them my Commandments they contemned them and became proâ—…d in the Earth but escaped not the punishment of their crimes We chastised some by an impetuous wind and others were surprized by thunder we deprived them of their riches and they were drowned God was not unjust towards them they drew mischief on themselves through their impiety They that worship Idols are like to the Spider she buildeth her house of her â—…ob-web that cannot defend from heat or cold They would not adore Idols did they understand what they do God seeth what they worship he is omnipotent and wise I teach the people these parables and none but the wise understand them Truly God created Heaven and Earth it is a sign of his Omnipotency to True believers Instruct them in the book that is inspired into thee make thy prayers at the time appointed prayers divert men from sin to be mindful of God is the best work thou canst perform he knoweth all the actions of men Dispute with mildness against them that have knowledg of the written Law except against the wicked that are among them Say unto them We believe in what hath been taught you and in what hath been taught us Your God and our God is one God we are resigned to his divine will. We have sent thee the Alcoran as we sent to them the Old Testament Such as understand the Old Testament believe in the Truth of the Alcoran Thou hast not written it with thine own hand hadst thou written it thou hadst caused them to doubt who desire to make it void Certainly it containeth and teacheth intelligibly the Commandments of the Law none but Infidels reject it They have said We will not believe in this Book unless God work in it some miracle Say unto them Miracles proceed from God I am sent only to preach the torments of Hell. Is it not sufficient that we have sent thee the Alcoran to instruct them It containeth the effects of my mercy and precepts necessary for their salvation Say unto them it sufficeth that God is witness of mine actions betwixt you and me he knoweth whatsoever is in Heaven and in Earth They that believe in Idols and have not faith in God are damned They urge thee to make them see the punishment of their crimes if the time were come they should soon feel it they shall rescent it when they least think of it but they know it not they shall press thee to make them see it Say unto them Hell is prepared for Infidels When they shall be plunged in torments over their heads and under their feet it shall be said unto them Taste the punishment which ye have deserved O ye people that believe The Earth is sufficiently large and spacious for you to separate your selves from the wicked worship me alone all Creatures shall die and be assembled before me to be judged The True believers that shall have done good works shall inhabit Paradise wherein flow many rivers wherein is the reward of the righteous of them that persevere to do good and are patient in their affliction and trust in their Lord. How many beasts be there that have not wherewith to live God nourisheth them and you also he understandeth and knoweth all things If thou ask of the Infidels who created Heaven and Earth the Sun and the Moon they will say It is God. Wherefore then do they deny his Unity God enricheth and impoverisheth whom â—… leaseth him he is omniscient If thou demand of them who causeth the rain to fall from Heaven to give life to the Earth after the death thereof they will say It is God. Say unto them Praised be God that ye avouch it nevertheless the greatest part of men understand it not The life of this world is but sport and vanity life is in Paradise had they knowledge to comprehend it When they enter into a ship and see the tempest they call upon God and protest to profess his Law And when he hath preserved them on the Land they are ingrateful for his grace and return to their Idolatry they shall too late understand their error Know they not that we have established in Mecca all safety and freedom and that men are taken away by violence to be slain and made slaves believe they in things unprofitable shall they be ingrateful for the graces of God who is more impious than he that blasphemeth against God and impugneth the known Truth is there no place in Hell for the wicked I will guide into the right way them that shall fight for the Faith God is with them that do good CHAP. XXX The Chapter of the Grecians containing sixty Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I am the most wise God. The Grecians were vanquished upon the frontier of the Persians but shall be victorious before the end of seven years God disposeth all things from the beginning to the end When they shall be victorious the True believers shall rejoyce in the victory that God shall give them he protecteth whom to him seemeth good he is omnipotent and merciful He hath promised them victory and departeth not from his promises of which the greatest part of men are ignorant they affect the life of this world and consider not their end Will they not consider that God hath created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them and hath appointed to every thing a limited and prefixed time Certainly the greatest part of the people believe not in the Resurrection Will they not consider the end of their predecessors who were more powerful and wealthy than they God hath sent to all an Apostle to teach them his Law he hath done to them no injustice they have drawn mischief on themselves through their iniquity the end of the wicked shall be like to their works they despise the Commandments of God and deride them but God shall cause them to die and rise again and all shall be assembled before him at the day of Judgment that day shall they be desperate their Idols shall not intercede for them they shall forsake them and they shall be separated from the true believers Such as believe in God and do good works shall enjoy the delights of Paradise and the wicked shall be chastised according to their demerits Praise God pray unto him evening and morning praise is due to him in heaven and earth pray unto him before the Sun set and at the hour of noon he maketh the dead to come out of the living and the living out of the dead he
idle They that have judgment will understand this discourse Say unto them oh ye people that believe in your Lord have his fear before your eyes such as shall do good works in this world shall enjoy abundantly the riches of the earth God will innumerably reward them that persevere in obedience to his Commandments Say unto them I am commanded to worship one God to profess his Unity and to be obedient to him Say unto them I apprehend the day of Judgment if I disobey God my Lord. Say unto them I will worship but one God worship ye others whom ye will. Such as shall despise the Law of God shall lose their souls and families at the day of Judgment These are two great losses and most certain they be involved in eternal fire Thus God preacheth to true believers O my creature speak unto them that have my fear before their eyes that they adore not Idols and that if they turn to their Lord they shall enjoy the delights of Paradise Proclaim to them that hear my Word and obey my Commandments that they are in the right way and well advised canst thou deliver from the fire of hell him that shall be condemned Certainly such as obey God shall enjoy the pleasures of Paradise wherein flow many rivers and there shall they dwell eternally This is the promise of God he swerveth not from that which he promiseth Seest thou not that God sendeth rain from heaven and maketh the rivers to run upon the earth he causeth plants to spring forth and herbs of divers colours thou seest them become yellow and then altogether drie this is a sign of his omnipotency Hath not he to whom God hath given the light of faith received a great grace from his divine Majesty Misery is upon them that have an heart hardned and forget his Law they are manifestly seduced he hath sent an excellent book for the instruction of men his precepts are alike in purity and without contradiction They that fear God tremble when they hear mention of this book and find their rest in the word of his divine Majesty This book is the guide of the righteous God by it guideth whom pleaseth him He whom God shall seduce shall find none to guide him he shall be precipitated into the fire of hell at the day of Judgment It shall be said that day to the wicked taste the torments that ye have merited their predecessors defamed the Prophets and were punished when they least thought of it God rendred them ignominious in this world and they shall feel in the other torments much more grievous and they know it not We have taught in this book what is necessary for the salvation of the people peradventure they will learn it it is in the Arabique tongue without falshood and contradiction perhaps the people will fly from impiety God teacheth you a parable Two men are associates in their traffique the one is wicked the other an honest man are they alike Praise is due to one sole God the greatest part of the Infidels understand it not Thou shalt die all men shall die and ye shall be assembled at the day of Judgment when ye shall dispute together Who is more unjust than he that blasphemeth against God and against the known truth Shall not the wicked be damned Such as shall believe the Prophet and fly impiety shall obtain from God what they desire such is the recompence of the righteous God shall pardon their sins and reward them for their good works doth not he protect his servant They will terrifie thee with the Idols which they adore but he whom God shall mislead shall find none able to guide him and none shall be able to seduce him whom he shall guide is not he the omnipotent and revenging If thou ask of the Infidels who created heaven and earth they will say it is God Say unto them have ye therefore considered the Idols which ye adore can they exempt you from the wrath of God when it shall be his pleasure to chastise you Shall they be able to hinder his grace when it shall be his will to pardon you Say unto them my refuge is God I am resigned to his Will the wise trust in his divine Majesty Say unto them oh people do as you understand him I will do as I understand him ye shall know in the end that whosoever shall be condemned shall be ashamed and be precipitated into eternall torments We have sent unto thee the most true Book to instruct the people He that shall follow the right way shall meet with nothing but good and he that shall go astray shall meet with nothing but evill thou art not the guardian of the wicked God causeth men to die when the hour of their death is arrived he deferreth the death of many during their sleep and remitteth that of others to the time appointed this is a sign of his Omnipotencie to such as consider it Will ye worship any but God Say unto them how shall your Idols be able to intercede for you since they want power know you not this Say unto them we ought to invoke one God alone King of the heaven and earth you all shall one day be assembled before him to be judged The Infidels tremble with fear when they hear mention of one sole God and rejoyce when they hear speak of their Idols Say unto them God is Creator of the heavens and the earth he knoweth the past present and future Lord thou shalt one day judge the differences of thy creatures Should the Infidels possess all the riches of the earth and yet as much more they would not be able to escape the fire of hell at the day of Judgment they shall be punished more grievously than they imagine their sins shall be set before them and they shall feel the rigors of the torments which they despise Man calleth upon us when he is in affliction and when we give him our grace he saith he meriteth it on the contrary this is to prove him but most of them are ignorant of it their predecessors spake as they the good that they have done hath profited them nothing and the misery that they have merited is faln upon them they shall not escape the punishment of their crimes Know they not that God giveth and taketh away wealth from whom pleaseth him This is a sign of his omnipotency for the righteous Say unto them oh people they who have offended God ought not to despair of his grace he is gracious and merciful be ye converted and recommend your selves to his will before ye be condemned otherwise ye shall remain without protection follow the instruction that God hath sent to you before ye be 〈◊〉 the punishment of your crimes shall surprise you ye know not the time the wicked shall be afflicted for that they have not obeyed Gods Commandments they shall know their damnation and the sin that they have committed in scorning the
is that maketh you to live and to die and when he willeth any thing he saith Be thou and it is See ye not that they that dispute against his Commandments depart from his Law Such as reject our Commandments and what we enjoyned our Prophets to preach to men shall find their errors when they shall see Chains on their Necks and Fetters on their feet they shall be dragged and burned in Hell then shall it be said unto them where are those Idols that ye adored upon Earth They shall answer they are departed from us certainly they are without power thus God seduceth Infidels to their confusion It shall be said unto them These pains befal you for that ye were proud and insolent without reason enter within the gates of Hell which is the habitation of the proud ye shall dwell there Eternally Be patient and and persevere the word of God is infallible I will make thee to see a part of what I have promised to men I will cause thee to die and thou shalt behold them all assembled to be judged Certainly we sent Prophets before thee we have spoken to thee of one part of our Apostles and the rest are concealed from thee neither Prophet nor Apostles can preach any thing without God's permission he chastiseth the wicked when he pleaseth he shall judg the differences that are between them and the Prophets and shall destroy the unbelievers God hath created the beasts for your use some ye eat and others serve you to ride on from them ye reap profit they bear the burden as likewise do the Ships for the advantage of your commerce God manifesteth to you his graces And what graces Will ye despise them Do not unbelivers consider the end of them that were before them who were more powerful and rich than they Their Treasures did not save them they derided the Prophets and Apostles that preached to them and in the end felt the pains that they had despised When they shall fear the torments of Hell they shall say We believe in One God alone and renounce Idols This profession of Faith shall be unprofitable to them in Hell they shall incur the rigor of the Law of God that was observed against their predecessors and all unbelievers shall be damned CHAP. XLI The Chapter of Exposition containing Fifty and Four Verses written at Mecca Reader Gelaldin entituled this Chapter Of Adoration IN the Name of God gracious and merciful The Alcoran was sent by the gracious and merciful God It explaineth Divine Mysteries in the Arabique Tongue to them that have knowledg to understand them it proclaimeth to the good the delights of Paradise and preacheth to the wicked the torments of Hell nevertheless the greatest part of the world depart from the Faith and hear not thy words They say We have obdurate hearts we cannot comprehend what thou preachest our ears are stopped we are too remote to hear what thou sayest Observe thy Law we will live after our own Say unto them I am a man like you your God is one sole God be obedient to him and beg pardon of him for your sins Misery is upon unbelievers that pay not Tythes and believe not in the day of Judgment The believers that shall do good works shall enjoy an infinite reward Say unto them How will ye be wicked towards him that created the Earth in two days how can you say that he hath a Companion equal to him He is sole Lord of the Universe he raised the Mountains blessed the Earth and gave to every Region the particulars thereof in four days for them that shall have need After this he ascended into Heaven that was like unto smoke and said unto Heaven and Earth Ye shall obey me either through force or affection They answered Lord we will be obedient to thy Commandments He created seven Heavens in two days and disposed every Heaven after his own will he adorned them with Stars and preserveth them from the malice of the Devil This is an effect of his Omnipotency he is omnipotent and knoweth all things If the unbelievers depart from the Faith say unto them I have threatened you as heretofore thunder did the people of Aad and Temod when the Prophets taught them the Law of the ancient True-believers to wit To worship but one God They said Were it Gods pleasure to alter our Law he would have sent us Angels to reach unto us we will not beiieve in thy Mission The people of Aad waxed proud on the Earth without reason and said Who is more powerful than we will they not consider that he that created them is more powerful and wealthy than they Nevertheless they despised our Commandments We sent against them a cold and impetuous wind in an unhappy time that made them to suffer on Earth shame and ignominy because of their crimes He shall cause them to feel the pains of Hell that are much greater than those of the Earth and they shall be eternally deprived of protection We instructed the men of Temod in the right way they preferred blindness to light and impiety to Salvation they were surprized by thunder and suffered great afflictions because of their sins We saved none of them but the believers who had our fear before their eyes Be thou mindful of the day that the enemies of God shall be assembled in Hell they shall defend their cause before the Judg until testimony be brought against them their ears their eyes and their skin shall be witnesses of their iniquities They shall say Wherefore do ye witness against us They shall answer He that made us to speak giveth speech to every thing he it is that created you and ye are this day assembled before him to be judged Ye did not well conceal your selves when ye offended him your ears your eyes your skin are witnesses against you ye believed that God should not see your sins this was your opinion Certainly he shall chastise you and you all shall be in the number of the damned Persevere and be thou patient the fire of Hell shall be their habitation they shall not be able to please God in the flames We have given them the Devils for their Companions who caused them to delight in sin The word of God shall be accomplished against them as it was accompllshed against their Predecessors as well men as Devils that are condemned The unbelievers have said Hear not that Alcoran it is full of error peradventure ye shall be seduced I will cause them to suffer grievous pains and will chastise them after their demerits such is the reward of Gods enemies They shall remain eternally in the fire of Hell because they despise his Commandments The wicked shall say at the day of Judgment Lord let us see the Devils and the men that seduced us we will trample them under our feet and precipitate them to the bottom of Hell. Such as shall have professed the Law of God as shall have
conspired against them think they that I know not their secrets and whatsoever they utter The Angels our Messengers keep account say unto them If God have a Son who shall we first adore Praised be God King of the Heavens and of the Earth the matter is not as the Infidels deliever it Leave them implunged in their impiety let them laugh and rejoyce until the day of their punishment arrive One God alone ought to be worshipped in Heaven and Earth he is most wise and Omniscient Praised be he to whom appertaineth the Kingdom of the Heavens and Earth and whatsoever is between them He knoweth the hour and the day that all the World shall be assembled before him to be judged The Idols that the Infidels adore shall not be able to intercede for them the good intercede for them that have knowledge of the truth if thou ask of men Who created them They will say It is God How can they then depart from his Commandments Lord this People is incredulous Depart thou far from their company they shall in the end too late acknowledg their errors CHAP. XLIV The Chapter of Smoke containing Fifty nine Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful God is Prudent and Wise. I swear by the Book that distinguisheth good from evil that we sent it the Night of blessing to teach the People the torments of Hell this Book explaineth our Commandments and all that we heretofore commanded the Prophets this is a special grace of thy Lord he heareth and knoweth all things he is Lord of Heaven and Earth and of all that is between them believe in his Omnipotency There is no God but he he giveth life and death to whom he listeth he is your Lord the Lord of your fathers and predecessors the wicked deride this discourse but the Day of Judgment attends them that day the Heaven shall resemble Smoak that shall cover the World that day shall the People say Behold here grievous torments Lord deliver us from this misery we will believe in thy Law Their conversion shall be in vain because when the Prophet preached to them they scorned his words and said That he was a foolish Teacher and when they were comforted on Earth they returned to their impiety Remember thou the day when they were vanquished and taken by force and that we were revenged on their impiety We heretofore tryed the People of Pharoah my beloved Prophet preached to them my Commandments and said Come follow me Oh ye servants of God! I am a faithful â—…essenger of his divine Majesty resist not his law will teach you his Commandments he shall defend me from your malice he shall preserve me from being stoned but if he will not believe me depart far from me He prayed to his Lord when he knew that that people was unbelieving â—…nd impious God said unto him Go forth by night out of the City with my servants if the men of Pharoah pursue thee enter into the Sea through a path large and spacious thine enemies that shall follow thee shall be drowned How many Gardens Fountains and places of Pleasure wherein they took delight did â—…hey forsake They fell into the power of anoâ—…her with all their treasures and none lamented â—…hem either in Heaven or Earth they expected â—…ot that punishment We delivered the Children of Israel from Pharoahs tyranny he was â—…owerful and a great sinner We elected them through our certain knowledg among all the world â—…nd tryed them through our Miracles and Commandments The wicked say we shall dye and not rise again if the Resurrection be true cause our fathers to revive to evidence the truth of thy words Are they more powerful than their predecessors whom we destroyed because of their â—…mpiety We have not created in vain the Heaven and the Earth and whatsoever is between them we created them for certain signs of our â—…nity the greatest part of the world understand â—…t not the day of Judgment is the time appointed for their punishment that day none shall be able to save his neighbour or parent or friend nor shall any be saved but those to whom God shall give his mercy he is omnipotent and merciful The fruit of the Tree of Hell called Zacon shall serve for food to the wicked it shall boyl in their bellies like pitch or water They shall cry Take the wicked drag them into the fire of Hell pour upon their heads all manner of torments It shall be said unto them taste the pains oâ—… Hell ye believed your selves to be thâ—… omnipotent and precious on Earth behold thâ—… punishment of which ye doubted The righteouâ—… shall be in delicious places in Gardens adorneâ—… with Fountains they shall be clothed with purple they shall behold each other face to face wâ—… will assemble them with women pure and cleaâ—… who shall have most beautiful eyes they shall havâ—… fruits savoury and delicious of all seasons the shall never dye and shall be delivered from thâ—… torments of Hell through the special grace 〈◊〉 thy Lord behold supreme felicity Certainly we have sent the Alcoran in thy tongue peradveâ—… ture the Arabians will learn it they covet thy 〈◊〉 ine but persevere thou and expect the time of 〈◊〉 punishment of their crimes CHAP. XLV The Chapter of Genuflexion or Knee-bowinâ—… containing fifty nine Verses 〈◊〉 at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and mercifâ—… God is most prudent and Wise. This Book sent by the Omnipotent and Wise. The Heaveâ—… and the Earth are most certain signs of his Uniâ—… to such as believe in his Law your Creation aâ—… â—…he Creation of all Creatures are markâ—… of his greatness to them that have his fear before their eyes the difference of the night and the day the rain that he sendeth from Heaven to cause fruits to spring out of the Earth and to revive it after its death and the diversity of winds are signs of his Omnipotency to them that have knowledg to comprehend it I relate to thee the wonders of God with truth in what will 〈◊〉 believe if they believe not in the word of his divine Majesty Misery is upon them that hear the Commandments of God and become proud as if they had not heard them Preach unto such men that they shall suffer the rigors of infinite pains They deride the Faith when they are spoken to Certainly they shall be punished in the fire of Hell their riches shall not be able to save them neither the Idols which they adore they shall be eternally damned This Book guideth men into the way of salvation they that shall not believe in the Law of God shall feel the effects of his fury He created the Seas that bear the Ships for the advantage of your commerce peradventure ye will acknowlged this grace He hath created for you all that is in Heaven and on Earth it is a sign of his goodness to such as consider it Speak unto them that believe
he will conduct you into the right way none but you could have atchieved that conquest he well knew that that was for none other he is omnipotent if the wicked fight you they shall fly they shall turn the back and find none to protect them Observe the Law of God against them do as was heretofore commanded you the Law of God admits no alteration God hath delivered you from their hands and delivered them into yours in the midst of Mecca having given you victory over them he beholdeth all their actions they have despised the Commandments of his Divine Majesty and hindred you heretofore to go to the Temple of Mecca they are at present prisoners without the assistance of the True believers that were within the City with you ye had not known them ye had trampled them under foot without distinction and had offended God without knowledg of your sin God bestoweth his mercy on whom he pleaseth had ye been separated from the unbelievers we had severely punished them When they were succoured of the ignorant and had some advantage God put his Prophet and all the believers in a place of safety they had recourse to the word of force and virtue wherein they did better than the Infidels God knoweth all Assuredly the Dream of the Prophet of God was true when he dreamed that ye were in the Temple of Mecca without fear your hair shaven and beards trimed fear nothing God knoweth what you know not in lieu of this Dream he hath given you a great victory he it is that hath sent you his Prophet to teach you his Law more salutary than all other Laws of the world It is sufficient that God is witness that Mahomet is his Prophet and Apostle it sufficeth that the True-believers who are with him bear testimony God encreaseth his mercy towards those Infidels that convert thou shalt see them worship God humble themselves before his Divine Majesty and implore his grace thou shalt know them by their aspect they shall have in their countenance the marks of their zeal it is so written in the Old Testament and the Gospel they are like a Plant that produceth its leaves that grows strong by little and little and becometh big afterwards it taketh strength upon its roots becometh a great Tree and the wood thereof serveth to make war against Infidels God hath promised his mercy and an exceeding great reward to the Infidels that shall be converted that shall believe in his Law and do good works CHAP. XLIX The Chapter of Inclosures containing Eighteen Verses written at Medina Exteri entituleth this Chapter The Chapter of Walls IN the Name of God gracious and merciful O ye that believe prefer not what ye have done to what God and his Prophet hath performed and fear God he heareth whatsoever ye say and seeth all that you do O ye that believe when ye shall speak to the Prophet speak not louder than he cry not as when ye talk among your selves lest ye render your good works vam and unprofitable and know it not God hath tried the vertue of them that speak low in the presence of the Prophet he shall pardon their sins and give them an exceeding great reward They that call thee behind the Inclosures know not what they do had they attended until thou hadst been towards them they had done very well God is gracious and merciful O ye that believe if any Infidel desireth to â—…reach to you distinguish the truth from a lye if ye give credit to the ignerant ye shall repent you Know that the Apostle of God is among you ye shall offend God if ye obey unbelievers in many things God willeth that ye embrace his Law it shall rejoyce your hearts and make you to abhor disobedience and impiety Such as abhor it are stedfast in their faith through his special grace he knoweth them and is most wise If two Nations or two Provinces of such as believe in God are at odds reconcile them if the one do injury to the other fight against him that is unjust until he repair what God hath ordained if he make reparation reconcile them with equity be just God loveth them that do justice to his people All those that believe in his Law are brethren make peace among your brethren and fear God he shall give you his mercy O ye that believe scorn not your neighbour peradventure that he shall one day be of better value than you O ye women scorn not others perhaps they shall one day be more worth than you Utter no reproaches and give no name to your neighbour that may displease him call him by his name otherwise ye will disobey God Such as repent not are exceedingly too blame O ye that believe in God! take heed of evil thoughts these are oftentimes in the number of sins do no displeasure to your Neighbour and speak to each other nothing that may displease Who among you would eat the flesh of his dead Brother ye shall abhor it fear therefore God who is gracious and merciful to such as have his fear before their eyes O people we created you Male and Female we have caused to issue out of your Loyns People and Nations ye know each other but your greatest honour is to fear God he knoweth you and understandeth all your secrets Some among the Arabians have said We believe say unto them Say not we believe but say We are obedient otherwise faith shall not enter into your hearts if ye obey God and his Prophet ye shall be recompenced for your good works God is gracious and merciful to them that obey his Commandments Such as are beloved of God believe in his Unity and in his Prophet they doubt not of his Law and imploy their persons and wealth for the propagation of the faith Say unto them Know ye not that your Law proceedeth from God He knoweth whatsoever is in the Heavens and Earth he knoweth all They think to do thee a pleasure in saving them Say unto them Believe not that ye pleasure me for it is God that guideth you into the way of Salvation ye ought so to believe it God knoweth all that is in the Heavens and Earth and beholdeth whatsoever ye do CHAP. L. The Chapter of the Thing Iudged containing Forty five Verses written at Mecca Mahomet hath intituled this Chapter with the Letter Kaf of the Arabique Alphabet which signifieth in this place Kada el mer that is to say the thing judged See Gelaldin and Bedaoi who have intituled this The Chapter of Iudgment or the thing judged Many Mahometans say likewise that Kaf is a Mountain that environeth the World and that Mahomet swâ—…re by that Mountain IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Alcoran worthy of praise that the inhabitants of Mecca wonder that a man of their Nation teacheth them the torments of Hell they say that he speaketh strange things What say they Shall we die Shall we be
we sent our Messengers with our Commandments we sent with them their Scriptures and Ballance that People might weigh with good weights We gave Iron to men it causeth great evils and great good in the World God knoweth them that fight with zeal for his Law and his Prophet without seeing him he is Strong and Omnipotent We sent Noah and Abraham to instruct the People we instructed their Progeny in the Scripture some followed the right way and many disobeyed our Commandments we sent after them our Prophets and Apostles we sent Iesus the Son of Mary we taught him the Gospel we put civility clemency and chastity into the hearts of them that followed him we did not command them to keep Virginity they kept it of their own accord because of their desire they had to please God they have not observed their Law as they ought many have been disobedient but we have rewarded those among them that believed O ye that believe in Iesus fear God and believe in his Prophet ye shall have double the reward of God's mercy he shall pardon your sins he is gracious and merciful I teach you these things to the end that such as have heretofore received the written Law may know that they have no power over the grace of God he giveth it to whom he listeth certainly it is immense CHAP. LVIII The Chapter of the Dispute containing Twenty two Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and merciful God hath heard the speech of her that disputed with thee concerning the action of her Husband she exhibited to him her complaints he heareth all your discourses he heareth and seeth all No person among you shall swear never to touch his Wife no more than his Mother your wives are not your mothers your Mothers are those that conceiyed and brought you forth they that speak in that manner speak uncivilly but God is gracious and merciful He that shall have sworn to touch no more his Wife and shall desire afterwards to know her shall give liberty to a Slave for satisfaction of his Oath before he touch her this is commanded you God knoweth all your actions if he have not the power to free a Slave he shall fast two Months together before touching her if he cannot fast he shall give to Fifty poor Thus ought ye to do if ye believe in God and his Prophet God so appointed it and hath prepared great torments for them that transgress his Commandments They that shall disobey him and the Prophet shall be covered with shame and ignominy as were their Predecessors in impiety God hath sent his Commandments on Earth those who shall reject them shall be severely tormented at the day that he shall revive them he shall declare to them all that they have done he hath kept account and they have forgotten it he seeth all Seest thou not that all that is in the Heaven and Earth is Gods If ye be Three secretly met together he is the Fourth if ye be Five he is the Sixth if ye be more or less he is always with you wheresoever you are He shall relate to men at the Day of Judgment all that they have done he knoweth all things Seest thou not the actions of them to whom private meetings were prohibited They return to their sin and do what was forbidden them they assemble secretly with malice to conspire against thee and to disobey thee and when they come towards thee they say that thou hast spoken things that God hath not inspired thee to utter they know in their Souls that God will chastise them for their discourse and that they all shall go into Hell where their Rendezvous is Oh ye that believe make no private meetings to offend God to conspire against his Prophet and to disobey him assemble ye to perform acts of Virtue and to serve God have his fear before your eyes ye shall once appear before his Divine Majesty to be judged Private assemblies proceed from the Devil for the affliction of the Righteous He bringeth no evil upon them but through God's permission and all believers ought to resign themselves to his Divine Will. O ye that believe when ye shall be assembled with your Prophet and are entreated to inlarge your selves inlarge ye your selves God shall inlarge to you his grace When ye are bid to rise rise God shall raise up all the True believers that are among you and place the learned some degrees above others he knoweth your actions O ye that believe when ye shall be disposed to deliver any secret to the prophet speak to him with truth good shall befal you and he shall purifie you If ye fear to impart to him your secret God will not give you his grace Make your prayers at the time appointed distribute Tithes obey God and his Prophet God knoweth what ye do Seest thou not them that have abandoned his Law The wrath of his Divine Majesty is faln upon them they are of different opinion in their lye and know not that they lye but he hath prepared for them a great punishment because of their blasphemies they have concealed their Faith and are seduced certainly he hath prepared for them grievous pains their Wealth and their Children shall not be able to deliver them from his Indignation they shall be precipitated into the Fire of Hell where they shall abide eternally Be thou mindful of the day when he will cause them to revive they shall swear as they swear before thee that they believed in his Law they affirm they do good and are Lyars the Devil hath prepossessed them and hath made them forget the word of God such as follow him are damned They that transgress the will of God and that of his Prophet are overcome of the Devil God hath said in the Scriptures thou shalt not obtain victory over me neither over my Prophet he is Omnipotent and alway victorious thou shalt find none of them that believe in his Law and the Day of Judgment that doth not exactly observe the Commandments of his Divine Majesty and those of his Prophet although their Fathers their Children their Brethren and companions oppose them God hath imprinted Faith in their hearts he hath strengthened them through his Spirit and shall cause them to enter into gardens wherein flow many Rivers where they shall abide eternally He shall be satisfied with their obedience and they shall be content with his grace Such as shall obey his Commandments shall be happy CHAP. LIX The Chapter of Exile containing Twenty four Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Whatsoever is in the Heavens and Earth exalteth the glory of God he is Omnipotent and Wise he it is that hath exiled the wicked from among them that have knowledge of the written Law when he the first time exiled them ye believed not that they should depart from their Houses ye believed that their Cittadels would defend them from his
sin in espousing them marry them not after the laws of unbelievers demand of them what dowry they require they shall demand of you what ye are willing to bestow on them continue in accord God so commandeth he shall be your judg at the day of Judgment he knoweth all your actions and is most wise If your wives revolt to the party of unbelievers and ye suffer any damage ye shall repair that damage to him that suffereth out of the booty that ye shall conquer fear God and believe in the Law of his divine Majesty O Prophet when women shall desire to embrace thy Religion with firm purpose to believe in one only God not to steal neither to commit adultery neither to murther their children to lye blaspheme or be disobedient receive them implore pardon of God for them he is gracious and merciful O ye that believe obey not them against whom God is angry they despair of their salvation as the wicked despaired that died heretofore in their impiety CHAP LXI The Chapter of Array containng fourteen Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful Praise God all that is in heaven and earth he is omnipotent and wise O ye that believe say not that ye do that which ye do not God abhorreth them that say they do what they do not and loveth them that fight in rank and file for his Law like to a strong wall Remember thou that Mâ—…ses said to his people Ye shall do me no harm ye shall know in the end that I am the Messenger of God but God seduced them from the right way when they departed from obedience to his Commandments he guideth not the wicked Remember thou that Iesus the son of Mary said to the children of Israel I am the Messenger of God he hath sent me to confirm the old Testament and to declare to you that there shall come a Prophet after me whose name shall be Mahomet When he came with miracles reasons most intelligible and arguments infallible they said that he was a Magician who is more impious than he that blasphemeth against God The Infidels would extinguish with their mouth the light of faith but God shall make it manifest against their will he hath sent his Prophet to guide the people into the way of salvation to teach them the truth of his Law and make it more evident than all other Laws of the world against the will of Infidels O ye that believe Will ye that I teach you one thing that shall deliver you from the pains of hell Believe in God and in his Prophet imploy your wealth and persons in fighting for his Law ye shall do exceeding well if ye have knowledg to understand it God shall pardon your offences he shall cause you to enter into gardens wherein flow many rivers he shall cause you to go into the beautiful Palaces of Eden where is supreme felicity he shall confer upon you yet another grace which ye desire viz. victory over your enemies Oh ye that believâ—… maintain the Law of God Jesus the Son of Mary said to his Apostles Who will maintain the Law of God with me he shall be supported and protected of God. The Apostles answered We will maintain it One part of the Children of Israel believed in Jesus and another rejected his Law we gave succor to them that believed against their enemies and they were victorious CHAP. LXII The Chapter of the Assembly containing eleven Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Praise God all that is in heaven and earth praise the King holy majestique and omnipotent who hath sent his Prophet an Arabian by Nation to preach his Commandments to the Arabians to purifie them to teach them the Scriptures and mysteries of faith they were before seduced from the right way They that shall come after them shall not see a Prophet equal to him this is a special grace of God the omnipotent and wise he conferreth it on whom he listeth and his graces are immense They that preach the old Testament and perform not what it enjoyneth are like to an Ass charged with books Such are they that disobey the Commandments of God he guideth not the impious Oh ye Jews believe not your selves to be the beloved of God expect death ye shall understand your error they believe not that they shall be chastised for their sins but God beholdeth all the unjust Say unto them Ye shall find one day the death that ye flie ye be sent back before God who knoweth what is present past and to come he shall set before you all that ye have done to be judged Oh ye that believe when ye are called to the assembly of Friday to make your prayers pray and quit your trade this shall be a good act if ye understand it when you shall have finished your Prayers separate your selves go whither you please and beg of God his grace call frequently to mind his divine Majesty and ye shall be happy When the Infidels saw any thing of profit or any divertisement they forsook thee and went out from the Sermon Say unto them how great riches and delights are there with God He is the Rich of the Rich. CHAP. LXIII The Chapter of the Wicked containing Twelve Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and merciful When the wicked shall come to visit thee they will say That they are witnesses that thou art a Prophet sent from God he well knoweth that thou art his Prophet he seeth that they dissemble and sell their Faith to enjoy wealth in the World wherein they commit evil they say with the mouth We believe in the Law of God and are impious in their Souls impiety is imprinted in their hearts and they will not learn the Mysteries of Faith the beauty of their bodies shall not displease thee when thou shalt see them they erect themselves when they speak and resemble a piece of wood set up against a wall they fear all rumors that fly abroad and are your enemies Beware of them doubtless God will destroy them how can they blaspheme against his Law When it was said to them Come to the Prophet he shall beg pardon of God for your sins they shook the head and withdrew with pride misery is upon them whether thou implore pardon for them or dost not implore it God will not pardon them he abhorreth the wicked They say Do no good to them that follow that Prophet of God until they abandon him the treasures of Heaven and Earth are Gods but they comprehend it not they say If we return to the City of Medina we will drive thence shame and infamy and will there establish Greatness and Honour on the contrary Greatness Power and Victory proceed from God his Prophet and them that believe in his Law but Infidels understand it not Oh ye that believe in God! your Riches and your Children ought not to seduce you
from his Service such as shall forsake it shall be in the number of the damned give alms of the Wealth that he hath given you before the Hour of your Death arrive then shall the wicked say Lord if thou hadst not so soon caused me to die I had embraced thy Law God retardeth not the day of any one when the Hour is come he knoweth all that ye do CHAP. LXIV The Chapter of Deceit containing Eighteen Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Praise God whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth he is King of all things Praise is due to him he is Omnipotent he it is that hath created you some observe his Commandments and others are unbelievers he beholdeth all your actions He created the Heavens and the Earth he formed you and ye shall be one day assembled before him to be judged he knoweth all that is in Heaven and Earth he understandeth your secrets and what ye publish he is not ignorant of what is in the hearts of men Have ye not heard what did heretofore befal the wicked They were punished they died in their misery and in the end shall suffer grievous torments because God hath sent them Prophets to instruct them and they said What! shall a man like our selves teach us the right way They despised them and forsook the Law of God he hath not to do with them neither hath he need of the World praise is due to him in all places do the wicked believe that they shall not rise again Contrariwise God shall make them to revive and shall declare to them all that they have done this thing is easie to his Divine Majesty Believe in God his Prophet and the light that he hath sent you he knoweth all your actions Remember thou the day when he shall Summon all to Judgment this shall be the Day of Deceit they shall be known that have deceived themselves and those that have deluded their Neighbours That day their sins shall be pardoned that shall have believed in his unity and have done good works they shall dwell eternally in Gardens wherein flow many Rivers the Infidels that despise his Commandments shall be precipitated into Hell where they shall burn eternally No evil befalleth you but through God's permission he giveth patience to him that believeth in his Divine Majesty and knoweth all Obey God and his Prophet if ye obey him not know that the Prophet of God is obliged only to preach the truth of Faith there is but one God all True believers resign themselves to his Divine Will. O ye that believe ye have Children and Wives that are your enemies beware of their malice if ye pardon them if ye depart from them God shall be to you gracious and merciful Wealth and Children do often hinder you to obey God but know that he rewardeth abundantly the Righteous fear him with all your power hearken to his Commandments obey him give alms he that is not avaricious shall be blessed if ye lend any thing to God he shall cause it to multiply he shall pardon your sins he accepteth the acknowledgment of his benefits and is most merciful He knoweth what is present past and future he is Omnipotent and Wise. CHAP. LXV The Chapter of Divorce containing Eighteen Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Oh Prophet when you repudiate them following the Ordinances and Laws and reckon the time that they ought to tarry before they marry again Fear God your Lord cause them not to depart their houses neither expel them before the time appointed if they be not taken in Adultery such are the Ordinances of God he that shall trangress them shall do injury to himself peradventure God will enjoyn something concerning them of which ye are ignorant When the time that they ought to tarry shall be finished retain or dismiss them with civility ye shall take persons of your Religion honest men that shall be witnesses of your Actions depose with truth what ye have seen it is so appointed to them that believe in God and the day of Judgment God shall deliver from affliction him that shall have his fear before his eyes and shall enrich him when he least thinks of it he that shall trust in him shall not be deceived he doth what he pleaseth and hath appointed a prefixed time to every thing If the Women hope no more to have their three months and doubt that they are misreckoned they shall tarry three months before they marry again if they be not Nurses if they be with Child ye shall abstain till their delivery whosoever feareth God rejoiceth in the observance of his Commandments What is above is ordained of God he shall pardon their sins that have his fear before their eyes and give them an exceeding great reward Cause them that ye repudiate to dwell in your houses or near to you abuse them not if they be with Child allow them what shall be necessary for them until they shall be delivered if they desire to nurse their Children ye shall give them an honest salary and entreat them with civility and curtesie if ye like not this ye shall cause them to be nursed by another whose pains ye shall reward If ye be not wealthy you shall allow according to your power God doth not enjoyn any one to expend more than his ability permitteth he shall give you good after evil how many have been the Cities that have heretofore disobeyed the Commandments of God and of his Prophets We have kept an exact account of their sins their Inhabitants have been chastised and shall be in the end in the number of the damned God hath prepared for them grievous torments Oh ye that are wise fear God he hath sent you the Alcoran he hath sent you a Prophet to teach you the mysteries of his Law to lead you out of darkness and to guide into light them that shall believe in him and do good works He shall open to them the Gate of Paradise wherein flow many Rivers where they shall dwell eternally with all manner of content God! He it is that created the seven Heavens and as much of Earth and ordaineth among them what pleaseth him to the end ye may know that he is Omnipotent and knoweth all things CHAP. LXVI The Chapter of Prohibition containing Twelve Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Oh Prophet prohibit not for the contentment of thy wives to do that which God hath permitted thee he is gracions and merciful he hath appointed to do what is permitted by your Law he is your Lord is Omniscient and most Wise. When the Prophet went to visit one of his wives God revealed to him what she desired to say to him he approved one part and rejected the other when he told his Wife what was in her will to speak to him she demanded of him who had revealed it to him he that
knoweth all things hath revealed it to me that ye may be converted your hearts are inclined to do what is forbidden if ye act any thing against the Prophet know that God is his protector the Angel Gabriel and all the believers will defend him the Angels shall protect him against you If it be his will to repudiate you God shall give him for the future other wives in your place that shall be obedient True believers humble faithful devout contented mild clean Virgins and not Virgins Oh ye that believe in God! strengthen your selves you and your Families in obedience to his Commandments the Idolaters shall burn in the Fire of Hell with their Idols the Angels deputed to torment them disobey not God they execute whatsoever is commanded them Oh ye that are Infidels there is no excuse for you ye shall be chastised after your demerits Oh ye that believe turn to God with affection he shall pardon your sins and make you to enter into Gardens wherein flow many Rivers the light of Faith shall go before the Prophet and them that have followed him when God shall recompence them they shall say Lord give us thy light pardon our sins thou art Omnipotent Oh Prophet fight against the Infidels and the wicked fortifie thy self against them Hell shall be their habitation God teacheth unbelievers a Parable and saith the wives of Noah and the wives of Lot were under the power of my two Servants righteous men they betrayed them but did not escape the punishment of their sin It was said unto them enter into the Fire of Hell with them that go into it God teacheth them a Parable that follow his Law take example by the Wife of Pharaoh she prayed to God and said Lord build me an House in Paradise deliver me from Pharoah from his works and unjust men Mary the daughter of Iosâ—…phat preserved her Virginity we inspired into her our Spirit she believed the words of her Lord and the Scriptures she was in the number of them that obey CHAP. LXVII The Chapter of Empire containing Thirty Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful Praised be he to whom belongeth the Empire oâ—… the World who is Omnipotent and hath created Life and Death to let you know which is the better he is Omnipotent and merciful He hath created seven Heavens one upon another thou seest nothing of what he hath created that is not proportioned raise yet thy sight to Heaven thou shalt not there see any thing defective behold it twice or more often thou shalt not perceive therein any thing vain or imperfect We have adorned the Heaven and the World with Stars we expelled thence the Devils we prepared for them a great fire and the torments of Hell for unbelievers They shall hear horrible and terribble voices that proceed from despair and wrath when they shall be cast thither headlong when they shall enter into Hell by Troops the Overseer of the torments shall say unto them Had you none on Earth that preached to you the pains of Hell Yes shall they reply they were preached to us but we traduced our preachers we said that God did not command to do what they declared that they were lyars and seduced from the right way had we heard them and had we been wise we should not this day have been in the number of the damned they shall confess their sins in the bottom of Hell. Such as fear God without seeing him shall receive pardon of their offences and an exceeding great reward Speak secretly or publickly God knoweth whatsoever ye have in your hearts since the time of your creation he is blessed and omniscient He hath established ways upon the earth go on all sides and live of his good things ye all shall revive and be one day assembled before him to be judged Believe ye that he who is in heaven cannot render the earrh dry and barren and cause it to tremble Believe ye that he who is in heaven is not able to send against you an impetuous wind to destroy you Ye shall hereafter feel what are the torments of hell Your predecessors would not believe them and were chastised for their incredulity Consider ye not the birds that flie over your heads how they extend and shut their wings nothing supporteth them but that mercy that beholdeth all things Who but God shall protect you in your miseries The Infidels are proud Who shall enrich you if God restraineth his grace nevertheless ye persevere in your sins and flie the truth Is he that creepeth on his face like to him that goeth on his feet in the right way Say unto them God hath created you he hath given you sight hearing and sense but few among you return him thanks for his graces Say unto them he created you of earth and ye shall one day be assembled before him to render account of your actions The wicked demand when the day of Judgment shall be Say unto them God knows I am sent only to preach to you the pains of hell Their visages shall become black when they shall see the punishment of their sins approach It shall be said to them behold that which ye have demanded with so much impatience Say unto them did you see that God destroyed me and them that were with me No he gave us his grace Who shall deliver the Infidels from the torments of hell Say unto them God is merciful we believe in him and we are resigned to the will of his divine Majesty ye shall know hereafter them that shall be seduced If the water that watereth your flocks enter under the earth who shall give you other water or another Fountain to supply you CHAP. LXVIII The Chapter of the Pen containing fifty two Verses written at Mecca Bedaoi entituleth this the Chapter of the Letter Noun n and saith that it is as much as to say Whale or great Fish Some other Doctors say that Noun n is the name of the Ink or Table on which the Angels write the Commandments of God Others affirm it to signifie the Inkhorn but many of the Mahometan Doctors intitle this the Chapttr of the Pen. IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Pen and by all that is written that thou art not possessed of the Devil through the grace of thy Lord thou shalt have an infinite reward God hath created thee with a creation high and most illustrious Thou shalt hereafter know and the Infidels likewise shall know one day them among you that are ignorant Certainly thy Lord knoweth them that are seduced and them that follow the right way Obey not the wicked they desire thee to be more inâ—…ulgent towards them and themselves more â—…ild towards thee Obey not those infamous â—…ars those bablers sinners and seducers and wicked persons full of treasures and children When the Mysteries of faith are related to them â—…hey say that they are but fables of antiquity we