him the right way God guideth Men to the way of Salvation I will wholly resign my self to the pleasure of his Divine Majesty Make your prayers at the time appointed and pay Tythes you all shall appear before God at the Day of Judgment to give account of your actions He it is that created Heaven and Earth Remember thou the Day wherein he said Be thou and every thing was he shall reign and at that day command an Angel to sound the Trumpet to call to universal Judgment the living and the dead He knoweth the future present and past is most Wise and nothing is hidden from him Remember thou that Abraham said to his Father Azer wherefore do you worship Idols instead of God I perceive your Family to be in manifest errour God shewed to Abraham the Kingdom of Heaven and of Earth and he was in the number of the Blessed Abraham seeing by night a most clear Star asked in himself if it were his God no replyed he to himself my God doth not rise and set seeing the Moon to arise he demanded if that were his God no said he to himself certainly God will not guide me to be of them that are erroneous when he beheld the Sun rising he likewise asked if that were his God and when he saw it set he said to his people I am innocent of the sin which you commit in adoring many Gods I wholly commend my self to his Will who created Heaven and Earth and profess his Unity His people would dispute against him he said to them will you dispute against me concerning the Unity of God who hath instructed me in the right way I fear not your Idols my God doth what pleaseth him and knoweth all things will you not consider it How shall I fear your Idols since you are not afraid to affirm that God hath Companions equal to him which you have no reason to adore If you understand the truth who is more true you or I Such as believe in God and shall not cover the truth with a lie shall be delivered from the torments of Hell and conducted into the way of Salvation We instructed Abraham with reasons to dispute against his people I give knowledge to whom I see good and exalt whom I please Thy Lord O Abraham seeth and knoweth all things we gave to Abraham Isaac and Iacob his Sons we before instructed Noah and his Lineage in the right way we taught it David Solomon Iob Ioseph Moses Aaron Zachary St. Iohn Iesus the Son of Mary Eliah Ismael Ioshua Ionas and Lot we gratified them above the residue of the World we elected their Fathers Brothers and Progeny and guided them in the right way Thus God guideth whom he seeth good Men before adored Idols and believeth there were many Gods nevertheless he blotted out their past Errours when they were converted If they slander them that have knowledge of the Scriptures and of Prophecies will give power over their Persons to Men that shall mis-lead them with the Infidels Those whom God guideth believe in the Unity of his Divine Majesty Say unto them I require no reward for having preached to you the Alcoran he teacheth to all the World the Commandments of God. The Iews have not honoured him as was their Duty they understood not his Graces when they said he hath instructed the people in nothing that is profitable Say unto them who gave the Tables unto Moses who instructed him in the Scripture which they have written in Vellum to guide and illuminate the people They have published what pleased them and have concealed much they shall learn in the Alcoran what they know not and what their Fathers understood not Say to them God after that left them obstinate and amazed in their Errours We have sent from Heaven that Book full of Blessedness it confirmeth the Scriptures that were sent before it to the end thou mayst instruct the people of Mecca them that inhabit about that City and the rest of the World. Such as shall believe in the Day of Judgment believe in what is written in this Book and shall pray to God to deliver them from the torments of Hell Who is more unjust than he that blasphemeth against God that saith God hath inspired into him what he uttereth notwithstanding he hath received no inspiration from his Divine Majesty Who more unjust than he that saith he will cause to descend from Heaven things like to those which God inspired into his Prophets When thou shalt see the wicked at the point of death and the Angels stretching forth their hands to take their Souls say unto them This day the torments of Hell shall be the punishment of the blasphemies that ye have vomited against God and your disobedience to his Commandments God shall say to them you are come before us without Riches and Children naked as you were created and have cast behind your Backs the instructions which we gave you I see not with you the Idols you adored you are separated from each other and have forsaken them that you esteemed on Earth should have been your Protectors God separateth the good from the wicked as the Corn from the Ear and the stone from the Date He causeth the Living to spring from the dead and the dead from the living behold the works of God why will you depart from his Law He divideth the Morning from darkness hath established Night for the repose of Men and the Sun and Moon to compute Ages Years Months and Seasons such are the effects of Gods power he is Omnipotent and knoweth all things He it is that created the Stars to give you light and guide you in the obscurity of the Earth and Sea he gratifieth with his Grace such as learn his Commandments He it is that created you of one sole Person that gave you the Earth to inhabit and preserveth you in the World he hath conferred his Grace on such as have obeyed his Commandments hath made Rain to descend from Heaven and caused the Earth to produce divers sorts of Herbs Green things and Corn he hath caused the Date to spring forth and the Palm Tree with Gardens enriched with Grapes Olives Pomgranets and many Fruits alike and different Consider how Fruits encrease and multiply this serveth for instruction of Gods Unity to them that have his fear before their eyes the Infidels have adored the Devil with God who created them and said that God hath Sons and Daughters such is their ignorance praised be God he created Heaven and Earth how shall he have a Son who hath no Wives He createth and knoweth all things he is your God and your Lord there is none other God but he worship him he conserveth all things he is seen of no Man and beholdeth all things he is benign and nothing is concealed from him O people there is come to you a light from your Lord to conduct you he that seeth clearly shall receive advantage and he that
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
Arguments and Reasons most clear and intelligible but those Doctors followed his Will and obeyed his Commandments notwithstanding they were contrary to Reason they shall follow him at the Day of Judgment as they followed him upon Earth that day shall they be accursed and shall find none that shall be able to protect them the punishment of Mecca shall be like to that I relate to thee there be of its Inhabitants who subsist and that do not subsist and are no more we have done them no injustice they have drawn mischief on themselves and their Idols have been of no use to them but to augment their misery when God hath commanded to destroy them Thus hath God surprized the Inhabitants of Mecca he hath chastised them because they were unjust this shall serve for example to them that fear the Day of Judgment all Men shall there be gathered together all the World shall see it I will retard it until the time appointed that day shall no Man speak without my permission there be that shall be miserable and others who shall be happy the miserable shall dwell in the fire of Hell they shall cry and complain so long as the Earth and the Heavens shall endure and so long as it shall please God who doth as seemeth good to himself The happy shall enjoy Paradise where they shall abide eternally so long as Earth and Heaven shall endure and so long as it shall please God. Dount not what the Unbelievers worship they adore but the Idols which their Faâ—… worshipped assuredly I will chastise them as their Fathers were chastised Moses preached the Old Testament yet did the wicked contradict his Precepts had not God said that he will not punish them untill the Day of Judgment he had already destroyed them because they are in an exceeding great Errour thy Lord shall reward every one according to his works he knoweth all their Actions Observe exactly what hath been commanded you with them that are converted transgress not the Law of God he beholdeth whatsoever you do Incline not to the affections of the unjust lest the fire of Hell surprize you and you be deprived of protection Pray to God Evening and Morning and a part of the Night prayers blot out sins it is the Doctrin of Preachers be patient and persevere God will not deprive the righteous of their reward He prohibited your Predecessours and their Posterity to defile the Earth nevertheless there were few among them that abstained the unjust acted whatsoever pleased them and were guilty before God He shall not destroy Mecca if the Inhabitants thereof obey his Commandments and if it pleased him the whole World should be of one Religion they to whom he giveth his Grace transgress not his Will his Word shall be accomplished and Hell shall be filled with Devils and the wicked of all Nations They have recounted to thee and thou understandest whatsoever things are necessary for them and what the Prophets have heretofore taught thiâ—…e heart hath been strengthened they contain the truth and they shall be for a Lesson to true Believers Say unto Infidels do on your part as ye shall understand we will do on our part as we understand and attend the issue we will attend it with you whatsoever is in Heaven and in Earth appertains to God all Men shall be assembled before him worship him resign your selves to his Will he knoweth whatsoever the people doth CHAP. XII The Chapter of Joseph containing an hundred and thirteen Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I am the merciful God. These signs are the signs of the Book which distinguisheth good from evil We have caused to descend from Heaven the Alcoran written in the Arabick Tongue peradventure ye will learn it I deliver unto thee in the Alcoran one of the best things that I have inspired into thee Thou wert before the coming thereof in the number of the ignorant Remember thou that Ioseph said to his Father My Father I saw in a Dream eleven Stars the Sun and the Moon I saw them adoring me My Son said his Father discover not thy Dream to thy Brothers they will conspire against thee the Devil is an open Enemy to Men thou shalt be elected of the Lord in this World he shall teach thee the explication of Dreams he shall accomplish his Grace upon thee and upon the Lineage of Iacob as he did accomplish it upon thy Fathers Abraham and Isaac the Lord knoweth all things and is most wise The History of Ioseph shall serve for example to Posterity remember thou how his Brothers said our Father loveth our Brother Ioseph more than all us together he is in an exceeding great errour let us kill Ioseph and cast him into some secret place remote from us his absence will render the Face of our Father more gentle toward us after his death we will be converted One of them said you shall not do well to kill him but cast him into the Well some Passengers will take him and carry him into an unknown Countrey They said to their Father Father wherefore dost thou not send Ioseph into the Fields with us we will be very careful he shall sport and recreate himself I fear said he that ye will neglect to preserve him dost thou fear said they that a Wolf should devour him in our Presence and that we want strength to defend him In the Morning they led him with them and cast him into a Well We inspired him to Prophesie to them what should befal them for the mischief they acted but they wanted knowledge to comprehend it they in the Evening returned to their Fathers house with eyes full of dissembled tears and said unto him Father we sported and ran who should run the best Ioseph remained with our Baggage a Wolf came that devoured him thou wilt not believe us although we speak the truth then they shewed him his Shirt which they had sprinkled with Blood it is you that hath done it said he you shall answer before God he is my Protector and was patient without lamenting There past that day a Caravan near to that Well who desiring to draw water to drink let down a Bucket on which Ioseph took hold to get out they gave him Cloathes led him away secretly and sold him at a good rate for ready Money they would not kill him in which they were honest Men. He that bought him in Egypt commanded his Wife to have care of him that he might one day be useful for their Service and be to them instead of a Son. Thus did we establish Ioseph in the Countrey of Egypt and taught him the exposition of Dreams thy Lord is Omnipotent but few Men know him when Ioseph came to the Age of Manhood we gave him knowledge and prudence thus do we reward the righteous His Masters Wife became amorous of his Beauty she one day shut him into her Chamber and solicited him with love
unto thee it is easie to thy Lord who created thee he said Lord give me some sign of the Conception of my Wife he said to him Thou shalt not speak for Three nights Then went he out of his Oratory and made signs to the People to make their prayers Evening and Morning Oh Iohn learn the Scripture with affection we from his Infancy gave him knowledg clemency charity piety affection towards his Father and Mother and not violence and disobedience We blessed the day of his Nativity the day that he shall die and the day that he shall rise again Remember thou what is written of Mary she retired towards the East into a place far remote from her Kindâ—…ed and took a Vail to cover her we sent her our Spirit in form of a man she was afraid and said God will preserve me from thee if thou have his fear before thine eyes he said Oh Mary I am the Messenger of God thy Lord who shall give thee a Son active and prudent She answered How shall I have a Son without the touch of man I desire not to be unchaste he said The thing shall be as I have told thee it is facile to thy Lord thy Son shall be a token of the Omnipotency of God and of his special grace towards such as shall believe in his Divine Majesty she became with Child and retired some time into a place remote from People where she sustained the dolours of Child-birth at the foot of a Date-tree and said Why am I not dead Wherefore am I not in the number of persons forgotten The Angel said to her Afflict not thy self God hath placed a brook under thee shake the foot of this Palm and the Dates shall fall gather them up eat and drink and wash thine eyes say unto them that thou shall meet that thou fastest and hast made a Vow not to speak to any one until the fast be accomplished Her Parents met her while she bare her Infant and said unto her Oh Mary behold a strange thing Oh Sister of Aaron thy Father did not command thee to do evil neither was thy Mother unchaste she made signs to her Infant to answer them they said How shall the Infant in the Cradle speak Then her infant spake and said I am the Servant of God he hath taught me the Scripture hath made me a Prophet blessed me in all places and commanded me to pray unto him he hath recommended to me purity through the whole course of my life and to honour my Father and Mother he hath not made me either violent or malicious praised shall be the day of my birth the day that I shall die and the day of my resurrection Thus spake Jesus the Son of Mary with truth of which ye doubt God approveth not the discourse of them that say he hath a Son praised be God when he willeth any thing he saith Be thou and it is he is mine and your Lord worship him this is the right way there be persons who in this regard have been of different opinion but misery is upon the incredulous They shall be miserable at the Day of Judgment The Infidels are manifestly erroneous from the right way if thou preach to them the â—…orments of Hell and their ignorance they will not hear thee We are Lords of whatsoever is on Earth and dispose of every thing at our pleasure they shall be one day assembled before us to be judged Remember thou what is written of Abraham he was a Righteous man and a Prophet he said to his Father Adore not what neither seeth nor understandeth any thing and that cannot be profitable I know what ye know not follow me and I will conduct you into the right way worship not the Devil he is disobedient unto God otherwise I fear that God may chastise you and you may be in the number of the damned He answered Oh Abraham dost thou abhor my Gods Unless thou change thy discourse I will stone thee depart from me for a long time he said May God inspire you I will pray for yoâ—… he is exceeding good and will hear my prayers Whom will ye adore when I shall be gone from you Worship God my Lord and your prayers shall be heard he departed from them and worshipped one God We gave him two Sons Isaac and Iacob both Prophets we conferred our grace upon him with an eloquent and true Tongue Remember thou what is written of Moses he was a Righteous man our Prophet and Messenger we called him on the right side of the Mount Sinai drew him near unto us and taught him our secrets we through special grace gave him a Brother named Aaron Remember thou what is written of Ismael he exactly observed what he promised was a Prophet and an Apostle of the Lord preached Purity and recommended to men to make their prayers often and was pleasing to his Lord. Remember thou what is written of Enoch he was a just man and a Prophet and we took him up to an exceeding high place God gave his grace to these men among the Prophets of the Lineage of Adam among them whom we caused to embark with Noah among those of the Lineage of Abraham and Israel and among those that we assembled and guided into the right way When the miracles of the merciful were related to them they fell prostrate and adored him with tears in their eyes their Posterity forsook their footsteps abandoned the Law and followed their own Appetites but they shall be precipitated into Hell except such as shall be converted and do good works they shall enter into Paradise and no injustice shall be done to them they shall enter into the Garden of Eden what the merciful God doth promise is infallible they shall hear nothing spoken in Paradise that shall displease them they shall hear the salutation of Angels and Morning and Evening shall have what they desire such is Paradise which God giveth to his Creatures that have his fear before their eyes I descend not from Heaven but by the permission of thy Lord he is master of our actions in Heaven and Earth and of whatsoever is between them he hath not forgot thee worship him and pâ—…rsevere in thy adoâ—…ation knowest thou any person that is named like him Man saith What shall I dye and rise again He considereth not that God hath created him of nothing I will one day assemble the Infidels and Devils I will cause them to appear at the Gate of Hell upon their Knees and will cast upon them all manner of misery because they have encreased their impiety towards their Lord. I know such as deserve to burn in Hell they shall be thrown thither headlong this is a most just Sentence pronounced by the Lord. I will save the Righteous and forbid Infidels to fall on their Knees before Idols when the unbelievers and many of the Faithful heard my Commandments preached they said among themselves that they were in
into publick with all his 〈◊〉 they that affected the wealth of this World said Would to God we had as much wealth as 〈◊〉 he is happy but the more knowing among them said Ye are unhappy the grace of God is more advantageous to them that believe in his Law and do good works than all the Treasures of â—…ron none shall receive his grace but such as shall obey him and persevere in 〈◊〉 to his Commandments We deprived Caron of all his Treasures and none was able to 〈◊〉 him against us then they that had 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 said oh Miracle God giveth to and 〈◊〉 of wealth whom to him seemeth good 〈◊〉 not God given us his Grace we had been 〈◊〉 cerâ—… the wicked shall be miserable I will bestow Paradise on them that hate Vanity and disorder upon the Earth and shall have my fear before their eyes whosoever shall do good shall find good who doth evil shall be chastised after his demerits He that hath taught thee the Alcoran shall cause thee to return to the place that thou desirest Tell the inhabitants of that place that God knoweth them that teach the right way and such as go astray Thou didst not expect the Alcoran it is a special grace of thy Lord assist not the Infidels and take heed lest they seduce thee after having learnt what hath been taught thee preach to the People the Unity of God be not in the number of them that believe many Deities adore God alone there is no God but he all things shall have an end except his Face he commandeth over every thing and all men shall one day appear before him to be judged CHAP. XXIX The Chapter of the Spider containing Sixty nine Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I am God most Wise. Men have believed that it is sufficient to say We believe in God and that they be not proved Certainly God proved their Predecessors and knew such as were zealous in his Law and them that were Infidels Do they who have done evil think to escape the punishment of their Crimes and not to be judged Such as hope to see God shall behold him at the time appointed by his divine Majesty he understandeth and knoweth all things He that fighteth for the faith fighteth for his soul certainly God hath no need of men their sins shall be pardoned who shall believe in his divine Majesty and shall do good works We enjoyned the children of Israel to honour their father and mother and to do good to them if they press thee to worship many Gods thou shalt be damned if thou give ear to them obey them not in this matter ye shall be assembled before me I will set before you all that ye have done I will reward you according to your works and place such as shall have observed my Law in the number of the blessed There be men who affirm that they believe in God and are impatient when evil befalleth them from God to prove them If God give victory to the True believers they say that they are on their side but doth not God know what is in their heart He knoweth them that believe in his Law and those that are impious The Infidels said to the True believers do like us follow our way we will bear your sins They will not bear them they are lyars they shall bear their own burdens shall not an account of their sins be required of them at the day of Judgment We sent Noah to instruct men he lived upon the Earth nine hundred and fifty years The Flood surprized and destroyed the people of his time because they were unjust and we saved Noah and those that were with him in the Ark this ought to serve for example to all the world Remember Abraham who said to his people Adore one God and fear him ye shall do well if ye have knowledge to comprehend it ye worship but Idols and are but lyars those whom ye worship cannot benefit you implore succor of God worship him and give him thanks for his graces ye shall one day appear before him if ye traduce me those that were before you traduced the Prophets Gods Messengers Messengers are obliged only to discharge their message are ye ignorant that God causeth men to dye and shall raise them again it is a thing easie to God Walk through the Earth and consider how God hath extirpated your predecessors and created after them another people certainly he is omnipotent He punisheth and pardoneth as he seeth good you all shall one day be assembled before him to be judged you shall not render him impotent either in Earth or in the Heavens ye shall find none of power to protect or defend you against his divine Majesty such as obey not his Commandments who believe not the resurrection and despair of his mercy shall suffer great torments The people answered kill Abraham and burn him but God delivered him from the fire that they had kindled which shall serve for example to True believers He said unto them ye adore only Idols because of your love to the wealth of the world ye shall despise and curse each other at the day of Judgment Hell shall be your habitation and ye shall be deprived of protection Lot believed in his words and said I will retire to the place which my Lord shall appoint me he alone is omnipotent and most wise We gave to Abraham two sons Isaac and Iacob we caused Prophets to be be born of his race and taught his progeny the Scripture we rewarded him in this world and he shall be at the day of judgment in the number of the blessed Remember Lot who said to his people Ye defile your selves with filthiness unknown to any before you ye incline to the love of men ye rob upon the high ways and defile one another This people answered Let us see the judgments of God if what thou speakest be true Then he said Lord protect me against unbelievers When our Messengers came towards Abraham to declare to him that he should have children they said unto him We will ruine Lots City and destroy all the inhabitants thereof because they are impious Abraham answered Lot dwelleth in that City they said We know all that is within it and we will preserve him with all his family except his wife she shall be in the number of them that shall be punished When our Messengers arived at Lots house he was troubled in that he had not strength sufficient to defend them from the malice of the people they said unto him Fear nothing neither afflict thy self We will preserve thee and all thy family except thy wife she shall abide among them that shall be destroyed we will cause the indignation of God to fall upon this City because of their impiety it shall serve for example to posterity We sent Chaib ro his brethren the inhabitants of Madian he said unto them Worship
people if you follow Chaib you are damned not long after an Earthquake and Thunder surprized them and in the Morning they were found dead in their Houses such as belyed Chaib found no safety in their Habitations they were wretched he abandoned them and said O ye people I have preached to you the Will of God with fidelity I will no longer afflict my self with the Malice of the wicked We inflicted Sickness and Poverty on them that disobeyed the Prophets whom we sent to the Inhabitants of Madian peradventure they will be converted We proved them through Diseases and Health and gratified them in many Occurrences yet they said our Fathers were afflicted with Sickness and Poverty we shall be as they but we chastised them for their sin when they least considered it Had the Inhabitants of Mecca had our fear before their eyes and obeyed our Commandments we had opened to them the blessing of Heaven and Earth we will punish them because they are impious Some there be that shall be afflicted in the Night when they sleep and others that shall be toâ—…mented by day when they sport and recreate themselves they believed God to be a dâ—…ceiver and are damned God guideth into the right way true Believers and makes them Heirs of the Earth after their Parents had he so pleased he might have destroyed all the World he might have hardned the hearts of the people and no man had hearkned to his word I recount what things befel that City many Prophets have been sent to its Inhabitants and wrought many Miracles yet would they not relinquish their former impiety thus have we hardned the hearts of Infidels they violated their Promises and we found most of them to be wicked and disobedient We sent Moses to Pharaoh and his people he to them shewed Miracles which through their Malice they contemned but consider the end of those wicked men Moses said unto Pharaoh I am a Messenger sent from God the God of the Universe when I speak of God I deliver the Truth I am come through his Command to tell thee thou must dismiss with me the Children of Israel and no longer detain them in thy Dominions Pharaoh said if thou comest from God and art true in thy sayings let us see some Miracles then he cast upon the ground his Staffe which was changed into a Serpent shewed his hand that appeared exceeding white to the eyes of the Spectators The Doctors of Pharaoh said this Man is a Magician he would have us to abandon our Countrey what is your opinion detain him Prisoner and his Brother and send into your Cities to assemble Magicians The Magicians of Pharaoh appearing before him they said what shall be our reward if we shall be Victorious He replyed to them you shall be well rewarded and shall be of them that approach my Person They said O Moses wilt thou first cast down thy Staffe on the ground or shall we ours Moses bad them cast down theirs which they did enchanting the eyes of the Spectators and terrifying them with an extraordinary enchantment God inspired Moses to cast down his Rod which devoured the Staves of the other and the Truth appeared above falshood and above the Vanity of their Actions they were vanquished to their confusion forsook their Magick and prostrating themselves on the Earth uttered these words We believe in the Lord of the Universe the Lord of Moses and of Aaron Pharaoh said to them Ye believe in the God of Moses without my permission this is a deceit invented by you to drive the people out of my Dominions but you shall soon know the punishment that I will lay upon you I will cut off your feet and hands and command you to be crucified They answered We recommend our selves wholly to the Will of God whatsoever is thy revenge on us thou shalt not hinder us to believe in the Miracles that we see neither to obey the Commandments of his Divine Majesty Lord give us patience and to die in the number of true Believers Then said Pharaoh's Doctors dismiss Moses and his people that they may go whither they see good to pollute the Earth that they may leave thee in quiet with thy Gods He said I will cause their Children to be slain their Wives to be abused and I will inflict upon them a thousand torments Moses said to his people Implore succours of God with patience and Prayers the whole Earth is Gods he giveth it to inherit to whom he seeth good the other World is for the rightâ—…ous They said O Moses We before thy coming desired the death of our Enemies he replyed God will not destroy your Enemies to leave you alone upon the Earth he shall behold your Actions We afflicted Pharaoh and his Subjects with Famine perhaps unbelievers will consider it When any happiness befel them they said they well deserved it and when they fell into Misery they affirmed Moses and his people to be the cause of it It is God that punished them but of this most of them were ignorant They said unto Moses cease to shew us thy Miracles to inchant us we will not obey thee We sent upon them a Deluge Grass-hoppers Lice Frogs and Blood one after another nevertheless they were proud and in the number of the wicked When our wrath fell upon them they said O Moses call upon thy Lord that he give us what to thee he promised remove his displeasure from us we will believe thee and will dismiss with thee the Children of Israel When we delivered them from affliction they sharpned their Tongues murmured and violated their Promises we avenged our selves upon them and drowned them in the Sea for that they contemned our Miracles and we gave the West and East to the Children of Israel who were humble before us we gave them our blessing our word was accomplished upon them because of their perseverance and we destroyed the Armies of Pharaoh The Children of Israel having past the Sea met with Men that adored Idols and said O Moses make unto us Gods like to the Gods of this people he answered ye are ignorant these Men are wretched what they do is but ignorance and Vanity shall I desire that you worship other Gods than God that preferred you to all the World We have delivered you from Pharaoh's people who caused you to endure great torments they murthered your Children abused your Wives and you suffer heavy afflictions for the punishment of your sins We detained Moses on the Mountain thirty Nights and ten other Nights which is in all forty Nights when he went up he said to his Brother Aaron be thou my Lieutenant command this people in mine absence and follow not the path of the wicked When Moses at the time appointed arrived at the top of the Mountain and that his Lord spake to him he said Lord permit me to see thee he said thou shalt not see me behold this Mountain if it continue firm
guideth men into the right way Pharoah said what law did your predecessors observe what is become of them Moses answered God knoweth in what condition they are nothing is concealed from God he extended the earth and established the ways he causeth rain to descend from heaven and maketh to spring forth the plants herbs and fruits which ye eat and that nourish your flocks These things are signs of his Omnipotency to them that understand them We created you of earth and to earth will we make you to return and will cause you to come out of it once again we shewed miracles to Pharoah but he was incredulous contemned them and said O Moses Art thou come to drive us out of our Dominions with thy Magick I will shew thee Magick like to thine let us meet at a place and day prefixed between thee and me to come together Moses said unto him Let us make choice of the day of your feast if it seem good to you the people may assemble at the Sun rising After this discourse Pharoab withdrew recollected all his subtilties and at the day and hour prefixed came with his people to the place appointed where Moses was who said unto them Misery is upon you blaspeme not against God he will punish you and destroy them that blaspheme against him The people of Pharoah differed in opinion what they should do kept their design secret and said to Pharoah These two men are Magicians they would chase you from your Country through their Magick and seduce your subjects from your Religion recollect your subtilties and power and chuse persons capable to dispute against them this day shall be happy to him that shall be victorious They said to Moses Wilt thou first cast thy staff on the ground or shall we ours Their cords and staves arose against Moses through their Magick and crawled Moses spake low between his teeth we said unto him Fear nothing thou shalt be victorious cast thy staff in thy right hand on the ground it shall devour what they have done it is but witchcraft and magick that produceth neither Profit nor Content Then fell the Magicians of Pharoah prostrate on the ground and said We believe in the God of Aaron and Moses Pharoah said unto them believe ye in him without my permission Moses is your master I will cut off your right feet and your left hands or your left feet and your right hands and cause you to be hanged on Palm-trees that ye may know who is the more severe in his chastisements I or the God of Moses they said the miracles that thou hast seen have they not touched thee He that created us doth things which are not in thy power to perform thy power extendeth only in this World we believe in God our Lord who will pardon our sins thou art the cause that he abhorreth us with our magick he is more powerful than thou and Eternal Hell is prepared for Infidels they shall find repose neither in their life nor death and the righteous that shall do good works shall eternally enjoy the pleasures of the gardens of Eden wherein flow many delicious Rivers such is the reward of them that are purged from their sins We said unto Moses Go out by Night with my People and make them a drie Path through the Sea fear not that thine Enemies may overtake thee neither be afraid of being drowned Pharoah shall follow them with his Troops I will overwhelm in the Sea and will mislead him with his People he shall not follow the right way O Children of Israel We delivered you from your Enemies and conducted you towards the mountains of Sinai We caused Manna and Quailes to descend upon you and said Eat ye of the good things that we have given you and be not ungrateful otherwise my wrath shall fall upon you he upon whom mine indignation shall fall shall be thrown headlong into the Fire of Hell I will be merciful to such as shall convert do good works and follow the right way O Moses who pressed thee to absent thy self from thy People He answered behold he that followeth my steps I am come up to receive thy Commandments We after thy departure estranged thy People from thee and Samery seduced them from the right way he returned upon his steps to his People in great displeasure and said O ye People did not God promise to you all manner of content He protracted the effect of his promises because of your sins will you that his wrath fall upon you Wherefore have ye trangressed what ye promised to me They said we have not transgressed our promises of our own accord we took the most weighty ornaments of the People and cast them into the Fire Samery himself did cast them in he made the body of a bellowing Calf and said with his followers Behold there your God the God of Moses whom he hath forgotten Saw they not that this Calf spake not to them and that it had not power to do good or evil Aaron had said unto them before the coming of Moses O ye People you have been seduced by this Calf the merciful is your God and your Lord Follow and obey me They said Shall we abide here until Moses return Moses at his return said unto Aaron What hindred thee to follow me when thou sawest them to turn aside from the Law of God Wherefore hast thou disobeyed me O Son of my Mother said Aaron drag me not by the Beard and Hair I feared to displease thee if I forsook the Children of Israel and disobey thy Commandments Moses said unto Samery what was thy design He answered I saw what this People seeth not I took an handful of the Earth of the footsteps of the Messenger of God and made the Figure of a Calf the fairest that I could Moses said unto him Go get thee from among us thou shalt fly the presence of men all the days of thy life thou shalt say unto them Come not nigh me touch me not the time of thy punishment is appointed thou shalt not escape it behold thy false god behold the Calf which thou hast adored I will cause it to burn and will cast the ashes thereof into the Sea your God is one God and there is none other God but the God that knoweth all things Thus do I relate to thee things past we have sent thee the Alcoran such as shall abjure it shall bear their burthen at the Day of Judgment and be eternally tormented I will one day require an account of their burden and will assemble them with all their subtilties when the Trumpet shall sound they shall demand of each other how long they have continued in the World They shall say That they have remained there but Ten days and Ten nights I know all that they will say the most prudent among them shall say that they have been but one day They shall enquire of thee concerning the Mountains Say unto them God
wicked God will not enlighten you neither hearken to your prayers because ye have traduced his Prophet the time of the punishment of your crimes shall suddenly arrive CHAP. XXVI The Chapter of Poets containing an hundred and twenty seven Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful God is most pure he understandeth all things he is most wise These signs are the signs of the book that distinguisheth truth from falshood wilt thou destroy thy self because men are impious If I will I can cause my judgments to descend upon them that shall humble them they despise my Commandments they scoff but shall be rigorously punished See they not how many fruits we have made to spring out of the earth It is a token of our Omnipotency nevertheless the greatest part of them believe not that thy Lord is the omnipotent and the merciful Instruct them how thy Lord said unto Moses thou shalt be my messenger to the Infidels and the people of Pharoah that they may have my fear before their eyes Moses said Lord I fear they may traduce me and that my tongue cannot be loosed send with me my brother Aaron they know the fault I have committed and will put me to death The Lord said to him they shall not put thee to death go both whither I command you I will be with you and will hear what they say say to Pharoah that ye are the Messengers of the Lord of the World and let him dismiss with you the Children of Israel Pharoah said unto Moses have I not seen thee within this house a little Child Didst thou not dwell with us many years Dist thou not kill a man Thou art impious Moses said I did what I did I was in the number of the seduced I fled when I feared you since that time God hath given me knowledg and placed me in the number of his Prophets and Apostles he hath sent me his grace to set before thee the evil that thou dost commit in causing thy self to be adored of the Children of Israel Pharoah said unto him who is that God of the World He answered it is the Lord of Heaven and Earth and of whatsoever is between them Pharoah said to them that were about him Hear ye not what he saith Moses continued his speech and said my Lord is your God the God of your Fathers and of your Predecessors Pharoah said this Prophet that is sent to you is a fool Moses said I am indeed the Messenger of the Lord of the West and East if ye had understanding to know him Pharoah said if thou worship any other God but me I will cause thee to be put unto the bottom of a Pit Moses said to him Wilt thou do it seeing I am come to thee with reasons so strong and arguments so infallible Pharaoh said unto him Bring thy reasons if thou art true Then he cast his staff on the ground and it was changed into a Serpent he drew his Hand out of his bosom it appeared white and shining to the Eyes of the spectators Then said Pharoah to them that were about him Certainly behold here a skilful Magician he would drive you from your Country through his Magick what say ye They answered He with his Brother must be terrified and men must be sent into all thy Cities to assemble the most knowing Magicians of all thy Dominions when they came together at the day appointed it was demanded of them if they were called to follow the magick of Moses and of Aaron They said what shall be our reward if we be victorious Pharoah said unto them Yes ye shall be rewarded and be among them that approach my Person Moses said unto them will you cast your staves on the ground or shall I first cast mine They cast their cords and their staves first saying With the assistance of Pharoah we shall be victorious then Moses cast his Rod on the ground which devoured their cords and staves when they beheld this miracle they fell prostrate and said We believe in the Lord of the World God of Moses and Aaron Pbaroah said to them If ye believe in Moses without my permission ye shall see what shall 〈◊〉 you he is your Master he understandeth Magick better than you I will cause your right feet and left hands or your right hands and left feet to be cut off and cause you all to be hanged they said This shall do us none harm we shall return before God our Lord we hope that he will remit our sins because we shall be the first Converts We said unto Moses go with the Children of Israel my servants and fear not the People of Pharoah that shall follow thee Pharoah sent his Commissioners through his Dominions to assemble the People and said speaking of the Children of Israel those men are few in number they have displeased me but I will well awake them We moved Pharoah and his People to depart out of Egypt to pursue the Children of Israel we caused them to quit their Gardens Fountains and Houses of pleasure and made the Children of Israel heirs of their treasure they surpriz'd them at the rising of the Sun when the Children of Israel beheld them they said we are overtaken Moses answered No my Lord is with me he shall guide me then we inspired Moses to strike the Sea with his Rod incontinently it divided it self on both sides like two Mountains we saved him and all that were wiâ—…h him and drowned the men of Pharoah which shall serve for an example to the incredulous and obstinate thy Lord is Omnipotent and merciful Relate to unbelievers the History of Abraham when he said to his Father and his People whom do ye adore they answered We adore our Idols he said unto them Do they hear you when ye invoke them Do they good unto you when ye worship them or mischief when ye neglect them they answered We find that our Fathers worshipped them as we do Abraham said unto them you and your Fathers worship vain things ye adore only Idols mine Enemies I will not worship them I will worship the Lord of the World who created guideth and nourisheth me who giveth me health when I am sick who maketh me to live and will cause me to die and from whom I hope for pardon of my Sins at the Day of Judgment Lord give me the knowledg of thy will grant that my Tongue and Words may be credited as true by Posterity put me into the number of the Heirs of Paradise pardon my Father who hath been in the number of the erroneous and make me not ashamed at the Day of the Resurrection at the Day when riches and Children shall be unprofitable except to such as shall have an heart estranged from Impiety God shall make the righteous to approach to Paradise and the wicked to see Hell They shall say Can the Idols that ye adore save you Can they save themselves They shall be