in the Book of Light He it is that causeth you to die in the night and knoweth the good and evill that you have committed by day he shall cause you to rise againe at the day nominated you all shall appeare before him he shall give you knowledge of your sins and shall chastise you after your demerits he is alwayes victorious and omnipotent He shall send to observe your actions and when you shall arrive at the hour of death he shall dispatch his messengers who shall not faile to execute his commands the people shall repaire to him as to their Lord he is extreamly exact to keep account Say unto them he shall deliver you from the darknesse of the sea and of the earth when you shall in secret or publikely invoke him if he deliver me I will returne him thanks for his grace Say unto them God can deliver you from darkenesse and all other afflictions yet say you he hath a companion associate with him Say unto them we can send punishments from above and from below he is able to disunite and cause you to tast a thousand miseries which you shall bring upon each other Consider how I shew them the effects of my Omnipotency they will peradventure comprehend my sayings Those of thy Nations have rejected them notwithstanding they are most true say unto them I am not your Tutor every thing hath its time you shall hereafter understand the truth Depart from them that speake of our Law with contempt untill he speak otherwise the devill would induce thee to forget my Commandements and cause thee to sit down with the unjust the true believers shall not regard their discourse neither cease to â—dmonish them peradventure they will be converted Depart thou from such as sport and mock at their Religion the wealth of this world rendreth them haughty declare they shall be severely punished none is able to protect or hear them but God no ransome is able to deliver them they shall find the good and â—vill that they have committed shall drink a liquor extreamly cold and endure grievous torments because of their impiety say unto them shall we worship instead of God what can neither benefit nor hurt us Shall we return on our steps to our sins having been guided by his divine Majesty like unto him whom the devill hath seduced He left him dismaid and astonished in the midst of his voyage having forsaken his companions that shewed him the right way God guideth men to the way of Salvation I will wholly resigne my self to the pleasure of his divine Majesty Make your prayers at the time appointed and pay tithes you all shall appear before God at the day of Judgement 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 Angell to sound the Trumpet to call to universall Judgement the living and the dead He knoweth the future present and past is most â—ise and nothing is hidden from him Remember thou that Abraham said to his father * The Arabianâ— say Azâ—r 〈◊〉 Abrahams â—urna â—e and â—hat his fathâ—r was called Terec Azer Azer wherefore doe you worship Idols instead of God I perceive your family to be in manifest error God shewed to Abraham the Kingdome of heaven and of earth and he was in the number of the blessed Abraham seeing by night a most cleare Star asked in himselfe if it were his God no replyed he to himself my God doth not rise and set seeing the Moone 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 erronious 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 professe 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 feare not your Idols my God doth what pleaseth him and knoweth all things will you not consider it How shall I feare your Idols since you are not afraid to affirme that God hath companions equall 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 goâ—d and exalt whom I please Thy Lord O Abraham seeth and knoweth all things we gave to Abraham Isaac and Jâ—câ—b his sons we before instructed Noah and his lineage in the right way we taught it David Salomon Job Joseph Moses Aaron Zachary St. John Jesus the Sonne of Maâ—y Eliah Ismael Joshua Jonas and Lot we gratified them above the residue of the world we elected their Fathers Brothers and Progenie and guided them in the right way Thus God guideth whom he seeth good Men before adored Idols and believed there were many gods neverthelesse he blotted out their past errors when they were converted If they slander them that have knowledge of the Scriptures and of Prophesies will give power over their persons to men that shall mislead 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 Commandements of God The Jewes 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 Vellam to guide and illuminate the people They have published what pleaseth 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 errors We have sent from heaven that Book full of blessedness it confirmeth the Scriptures that were sent before it to the end thou maist 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 Judgement 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 then he that blasphemeth against God that saith God hath inspired into him what he uttereth notwithstanding he hath received no inspiration from his Divine Majestie Who more unjust then he that saith he will cause to discend from heaven
to them * Thâ— Iewâ— and Christians Oh ye that know Scripture come with words alike true betweene you and us Doe I worship other then God I doe not associate him with any one and acknowledge none other Lord but him but if they turne aside from the way of faith God knoweth them that shall pollute the Earth Say to them bee yee witnesses that we believe in God Oh ye that understand Scripture dispute not the Law 〈◊〉 Abraham to wit if he observed the Old Testament 〈◊〉 the Gospell they were taught after him perhaps you wâ— acknowledge your errour Oh yee that have disputâ— whâ—t you knew not Abraham was no Jew nor Christiaâ— he professed the unity of God he was a true believer aâ—â— not of the number of Infidels The people and particâ—larly those that followed him of his time as also the Prâ—phet Mahomet and all true believers have knowne tâ— truth of his Law Part of them to whom heretofore wâ— given the knowledge of Scripture desired seduced yâ— from the right way but they themselves erred and thâ—â— knew it not Oh yee that know the Scripture doe nâ— maliciously conceale the Commandements of God coâ— not the Truth with a lye neither willingly hide it Mâ—ny of them that know the written Law said from tâ— break of day believe in what hath been taught them thâ— believe in the Law of God Neverthelesse at eveninâ— they were themselves of the number of Infidels peraâ—venture they will be converted Believe not but such 〈◊〉 follow your own Law Say to them The true guide the guide of God The knowledge that was given to you was not given to â—ny other but to you If the Infideâ— shall dispute against you before your Lord at the day 〈◊〉 judgement say to them Grace proceedeth from thâ— hand of God He is bountifull and omniscient he pâ—â—doneth whom he pleaseth and is altogether mercifull 〈◊〉 thou intrustest thy wealth to the hands of many of theâ— that know the written Law they will faithfully restoâ—â— it to thee There be also many of them that will nâ—â— restore it if thou take not heed because they have said They have no beliefe in the Arabians they blaspheme against God and know their blasphemies He that shaâ— satisfie what he hath promised and shall feare God shalâ— be beloved of God he loveth such as have fear of him before their eyes such as pervert his Commandements foâ— any profit shall have no part in Paradise he will not protect them neither regard or pardon them at the day 〈◊〉 judgement and they shall be rigorously punished There â—e of them that alter the Scripture in reading it and will make believe that what they read is in the Scripture alâ—hough it be not they blaspheme and know it well God â—â—ve not to man the Scripture knowledge and prophesies to say to the people Worship me insteed of God â—ut indeed to say Observe exactly what you have learned 〈◊〉 Scripture and what you reade God doth not command â—ou to adore Angels nor Prophets Will he command you â—â—piety having instructed you in his Law Remember â—hat he received the Promise of the Prophets to preach â—is Commandements without fear and that he hath taught â—ou Scripture and knowledge and that after this See Kitab el tenoir came a Prophet that confirm'd the doctrine that was taught you â—hat you might believe his words Have you not approved 〈◊〉 Have you not received what was promised unto you We have received it be therefore witnesses against your selves and against them that have followed you and I will be a witnesse against you and against them Such as â—oe astray from the right way shall be wicked Desire they â—o observe any other Law then that of God Whatever is in Heaven or Earth obeyeth him either willingly or by force And you shall all one day appeare before him to be judged Say to them We beleeve in God in what he hath inspired into us in what he inspired into Abraham Ismael Isaac Jacob and the Tribes in what was ordained by Moses by Jesus and generally all the Prophets from God and we are wholly resigned to his pleasure The Sacrifices of them that desire to follow other Law then the Law of Salvation shall not be accepted they shall be in the other world in the number of the damned God guided not those that followed impiety after they had professed his Law and having seene and testified that the Prophet is true by signes cleare and evident that appeared to them God guideth not the unjust they shall be for ever cursed of his divine Majestie of Angels and of all the world they shall find no relaxation of their torments and at the day of judgment be deprived of protection except such as shal be converted do good works God shall bee to them gracious and mercifull See Kitab el tenoir Such shall be impious towards Iesus having believed the Boy of Moses and shall augment their impiety against Mohomet shall never be converted they shall erre eternâ—â—â—ly All the treasures of the Earth shall not be able to saâ— the wicked that die in their impiety great punishmenâ— are prepared for them and none of them shall be able 〈◊〉 protect them You shall not be justified untill you haâ— dispensed in pious works part of the goods you posseâ—â— God will take notice of the alms you bestow All meâ— were permitted the children of Israel except what Isâ— forbad to himself See Kitab el tenoir before the old Testament Say to the Come and bring the old Testament and consider it will appeare if you speak the Truth These that shall â—â—terwards blaspheme against God shall be exceedinâ— too blame Say God hath spoken Truth follow ye 〈◊〉 Law of Abraham that is pleasing to him He profeâ— the unity of his Divine Majesty he was not of them tâ— believed in many Gods The Temple of Mecca is the 〈◊〉 that God established on Earth to be therein adored blessed it and men shall there find the instructions of 〈◊〉 right way with clear and evident signes of his omniâ—â—tency to wit * Abrahams place say the Turks is a Stone kept in the Oratory of Mecca upon which Abraham ascended when hee raised the foundations of the Temple of that City the marks of his feet are upon the Stone to this day Abrahams place He that shall enter to this Temple shall be in a place of safety and priâ—â—ledge God hath commanded that Pilgrimages be mâ—â— thither by such as shall be able He that is impious 〈◊〉 know that God hath not to doe with him O ye that hâ—â— knowledge of the written Law doe not willingly coâ—ceale the Commandements of God he knoweth all yoâ— actions Say to them O ye that have the knowledge 〈◊〉 Scriptures divert not from the way of Salvation thâ— that believe in the Law of God you desire to alter 〈◊〉 pervert it but God is not ignorant of what you doe
promised to God break not promised faith ye call God to be witness of your promises hee knoweth all your actions Do not like the woman who spun a thred foulded it and afterwards entangled it and spoyled it believe not that there is deceit and error in your Law If the unbelievers be more in numbers then you God permitteth it to prove you he shall clear to you at the day of Judgement the doubts that be among you had it so pleased him you all had observed one and the same Law he guideth misleadeth whom it pleaseth him and will exactly require of you an accompt of your actions Believe not that there is deceipt in your Law take heed of stumbling having once confirmed your steps ye shall be severely chastised â—f ye seduce the people from the right way do not violate what ye have promised to God for any price his grace is of more advantage to you then the wealth of the earth had ye knowledge to understand it your wealth is perishable and the riches of heaven are eternall he shall recompence them that persevere in wel-doing and whosoever shall doe good works shall be blessed in this world and in the other When thou shalt read the Alcoran implore God to deliver thee from the malice of the Divell abominable to all the Creatures he hath no power over them that trust in his divine Majestie his power extendeth over such as go astray who obey not him and adore many Gods When we alter any precepts God well knoweth what he ordaâ—neth they say thou art a lyar but the greatest part of them are ignorant Say unto them that assuredly the Holy Ghost hath taught it from thy Lord to confirme believers in their faith and to guide into the right way them that professe his unity and to anounce to them the joyes of Paradise I know that they will say that a man hath taught him the Alcoran He whom they presume to have taught him is a Persian by Nation and speaketh the Language of the Persians and the Alcoran is in the Arabique tongue full of instruction and eloquence They who will not believe in God shall suffer great torments such as renounce his Commandements blaspheme against his divine Majesty those that reject his Law after having professed it shall feel the effect of his wrath and be punished for preferring the wealth of the earth to the riches of Heaven God guideth not unbelievers They in whose hearts he hath imprinted disobedience those whom he hath deprived of hearing and sight are ignorant they doubtlesse shall be at the end of the world in the number of the damned he is mercifull to them that convert and repent to have mislead the people from the right way and persevere in obedience to his Commandements Be thou mindfull of the day wherein man shall dispute against himself and every one shall be rewarded according to his works without injustice God teacheth you a Parable Behold a free and Priviledged City on the which God poureth his graces on all sides with abundance and is ingratefull for his benefits but he sent upon it misery famine and feare because of its ingratitude God hath sent to the Inhabitants thereof a Prophet of their Nation they have slandered him and were chastised because of their sinne Eate of what God hath given you and give him thanks for his grace if it be he whom ye worship he forbiddeth you to eat of Carrion of Bloud and Swines-flesh and whatsoever is not slaine in pronouncing the name of God he will be gracious and mercifull to them who shall eat through necessity without designe to offend him Lye not in saying Behold that which is permitted to be eaten blaspheme not against God such as blaspheme against him shall not prosper in this world and in the otâ—er shall suffer grievous torments We did heretofore prohibit the Jews to eat of what we have recounted to thee we did to them no injustice they drew mischief on themselves through their sinne thy Lord is gracious and mercifull to them that ignorantly offend him who convert and doe good works Abraham was obedient to God and professed his unity he adored not Idols and gave thanks to God for his mercies God elected and guided him into the right way he gave him wealth in this world and placed him in the other in the number of the blessed We have inspired thee to follow the Law of Abraham he professed the unity of God and adored not Idols he established the Sabbath among the Jews of which they dispute God shall judge their dâ—fference at the day of Judgement Call the people to the Law of God with prudence and preachings and dispute against them with good arguments God knoweth them that depart from the right way if they evilly intreat you intreat them as they shall intreat you if ye be patient patience is advantagious to them that take it willingly have patience for the love of God and afflict not your selves with the deportments and malice of the wicked God is with the righteous who have his feare before their eyes CHAP. XVII The Chapter of the Voyage by night containing an hundred and eleven verses written at Mecca Reader The Turks believe that this night of the Voyage Mahomet ascended into Heaven with the Angel Gabriel he was mounted on a white Burac which is a beast partly Mule partly Asse and partly Horse He saw all the Prophets that preceded him all the wonders of Paradise and saw God who sate on his Throne See Kitab el tenoir Tesfiir anf Giauhoir and the exposition of Gelaldin The Bedaoi intituleth this Chapter the Chapter of the Children of Israel IN the Name of God gracious and mercifull Praise be to him that caused his servant to goe in one night from the Temple of Mecca to the Temple of Jerusalem wee have blessed that Temple and whatsoever is about it in token of our omnipotency We gave to Moses the Old Testament to instruct the Children of Israel and to deterr them from the worship of any other God but of me to forbid them to adore the lineage of Noah or the lineage of them that we preserved in his Ark. To quit their saith and return to it ofâ—en Noah is my creature and my servant acknowledging my benefits wee prohibited in Scripture the children of Israel to defile twice the Earth left they kindled too great a fire when that befell you See Kitab el tenoir we stirred up our servants against you and they entered by force into the midst of your houses this was as soon executed as promised In the end we gave you advantage over your enemies we gave you wealth and children to succor you and ye were more numerous then the Infidels the good and the evill that you shall doe shall be for your souls We stirred up the wicked against you because of your sins to afflict you through the murther and bondage of your persons and they destroyed
that I shall dye and the day of my resurrection Thus spake Jesus the sonne of Mâ—â—y with truth of which ye doubt God approveth not the discourse of them that say he hath a sonne 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 incrudulous they shall be miserable at the day of Judgement The Infidels are manifestly erroneous from the right way If thou preach to them the torments of Hell and their ignorance they will not hear thee Wee 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 Devill 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 abhorre my Gods unlesse 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 you 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 sonnes Iasaac and Jacob 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 neer unto us and taught him our secrets We through speciall gâ—â—â— 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 hee 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 embarke 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 mercifull 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 mercifull 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 * Gelaldin saith â— that Mahomet complaineth to the Angel Gabriel for having been so long absent from him descend not from Heaven but by the permission of the 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 persevere in thy adoration 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 forbidâ—â—â— fidels to fall on their knees before Idols when the unbelievers and many of the faithfull heard my Commandements preached they said among themselves that they were in a better way then their neighbour how many have we destroyed befor them in past Ages more rich then they and hypocrites like unto them Say unto them God prolongeth the lâ—fe of the erroneous that they may know their errors and learn the knowledge of the pains prepared for them they shall understand who shall be the most miserable and who shall have been most weak in their faith and least affectionate to the service of his divine Majesty God shall encrease their faith who shall follow the right way and such as be obedient to him shall enjoy his grace Hast thou considered the action of the wicked They demand if they shall have riches and children after their Resurrection Would you know what shall be would you capitulate with the mercifull I will not do it I will write all that they say and will adde to their miseries I will give to them in this world what they require and they shall rise again naked without treasure and children See Gelaldin They adored Idols to have their protection Certainly they erred in that adoration they shall renounce them and be their enemies at the day of Judgement Seest thou not how we have sent the Devils against unbelievâ—rs to seduce them Be not impatient to to see them punished they shall be judged at the day appointed Be thou mindfull of the day when I shall assemble all the righteous in the presence of God and prâ—cipitate all the wicked into Hell their prayers shall not be heard except such as have accomplished their promises to the mercifull They have said Do ye believe that God hath a Son You utter a strange thing it wanteth not much but that Heaven and Earth open themselves and that the Mountains fall with their utter destruction They call God God the Son God hath not to do with a Son whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth adore him he knoweth the accompt and number of all things of the world Men shall appear before him at the day of Judgement and the True-believers that shall do good works shall be beloved of his divine Majesty We have sent thee the Alcoran written in thine own Language that thou mayst proclaim the delights of Paradise to them that fear me and preach the torments of Hell to such as dispute with obstinacy against the Faith How many of the wicked have we destroyed in past ages Hast thou heard speak of them Hast thou heard mention of their memory CHAP. XX. The Chapter of Beatitude and of Hell containing on hundred and thiâ—ty Verses
who except God will be thy defendor They whom we have taught the Scripture that study read it with truth beleeve the conâ—ents of it they that do not beleeve are damned O chilâ—ren of Israel call to mind the favour that I did you I preâ—erred you before all the world fear the day wherein one â—oul shall not be able to assist another when a ransom shal not be accepted neither excuse and when the wicked shal 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 shal become of my â—â—nage He answered Paradise shal 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 Oratorie â—t Abrahams * Abrahams place is an Oratory in the temple of Mecca 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 shal believe in thy divine Majesty and the day of judgment God said I wilâ— for a time enrich the Infidels also precipitate them iâ— to the fire of hell where they shall remain to all eternitâ— When Abraham and Ismael raised the foundations of thâ— Temple of Mecca Aâ—raham said Lord accept our vows choâ— understandest all and knowest all things Lord give us thâ— grace to be obedient to thy Commandments and let a peâ—ple issue from our loyns that may observe thy Law Shew tâ— the way we ought to follow and have mercy upon us thoâ— art gracious and mercifull Lord send to this thy people Prophet of their nation to preach to them thy CoÌ„mandâ—ments to instruct them in Scripture and knowledge anâ— to purifie them thou art omnipotent and wise No manshiâ— abandon the Law of Abraham but to his own damage have chosen him in this world and he is in the other â— the number of the just Remember thou that his Lord saiâ— to him Be thou obedient to thy Lord trust thou in hiâ— he said I resign my self to God Lord of the Universe Hâ— commanded Jacob and his children to follow the Law 〈◊〉 God My children God hath taught you his Law trust yoâ— in him be obedient to him even unto death Were yoâ— present when Jacob was near unto death and when he saâ— to his sons Whom will ye adore after me They answereâ— We will worship thy God the God of our Fathers Abrâ—ham â—smael and Isaac one sole God we resign our selves his pleasure The good that those men gained remained tâ— them the evil that you shal commit shal be against yoâ— enquire not after what they did They have said Be ye eâ—ther Jew or Christian you shall follow the right way Saâ— unto them contrariwise The law of Abraham is most jusâ— he was not of the number of them that believed in manâ— Gods Say ye We believe in God in what he inspired intâ— Abraham Ismael Isaac Jacob and the Tribes in what wâ—â— taught Moses Jesus al the Prophets we rely upon Goâ— If they believe as you do they shal not err if they abandoâ— your faith they will have a controversie with you but Goâ— shal protect you he understandeth whatever they say anâ— what they do he hath purified his Law what better purification is there then that of his Divine Majesty Say untâ— them wil you dispute with us concerning God who is youâ— and our Lord We will answer with our action and you shall answer with yours all our confidence is in his Dâ—vine pleasure Will you say that Abraham Isaac Jacob and the Tribes were Iews or Christians Are you mâ—re knowing then God Who is more unjust then 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 remaine to them and the evill 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 Oâ—isons Say unto them The East and Wâ—st 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 doe that which is just that you be witnesses against the people at the day of judgement See Gelaldin and the Prophet witnesse against you I have not ordained that you turne your face as heretofore when you made your Orisons to the end they may be knowne that follow the Prophet from them that returne to their impiety It will be â—â—rksome to the people to turne to that side except to such â—s God hath guided into the right way God will not make â—aine your belief he is gracious and mercifull to his peoâ—le I see that thou liftest up thy face to Heaven turne â—hich way shall please thee but turne â—hâ—u towards Mecâ—a wheresoever thou art They These are the Iews and Christians that follow the written Law to whom heretofore the â—nowledge of Scripture was given knew that the Truth â—â—oceeded from their Lord what they doe is not concealed â—rom God when thou shalt meet them and that they will â—ot turne themselves as thou in making their prayers â—oe not thou likewise turne as they they turne not all the â—â—me way follow not their appetites having comprehenâ—ed the knowledge that hath been inspired into thee least â—hou fall into the number of the unjust Many to whom â—e have given the knowledge of the written Law underâ—â—and it perfectly as also doe their children neverthelesse â—â—ey conceale the Truth and are not ignorant that it proâ—â—edeth from thy Lord Be not thou of the number of them that doubt Turne thy selfe always towards Mecca Doâ— good wheresoever thou art God will be with thee he iâ— omnipotent From what place soever thou goest forth tuâ—â— thy face towards Mecca This is reasonable and ordaineâ— by thy Lord. Whatsoever you doe is not hid from God wheresoever you are turne towards Mecca that none maâ— find wherewith to reprove your actions but the unjustâ— feare not them but feare me I will accomplish my Gracâ— upon you and you shall be guided through the right waâ— We have sent unto you a Prophet of your Nation thâ— shall teach you my Commandements and purifie you Hâ— shall instruct you in the Scripture in knowledge and 〈◊〉 what you understand not Remember me I will remembâ—â— you praise me and be not in the number of the wickeâ— O ye that are * So the Turks stile themselves True believers implore uccor with paâ—â—ence and prayers Certainly God
their Suppliâ—ations when they invoke me See Gelaldin that they may persevere in â—bedience to my Commandements peradventure they will â—llow the right way It is lawfull for you to know your â—ives the night of fasting they are necessary to you as â—our cloathes and you are to them as necessary as their â—arments God knoweth that otherwise you should have â—trayed your soules he is bountifull to you and hath parâ—oned you know them and performe what God hath apâ—ointed you Eate and drinke untill you may distinguish white threâ—d from a black by the light of the morning â—en begin to fast untill night Know not your wives when â—ou are in the Temple Such are the limits prescribed of â—od transgresse them not So God manifesteth his Comâ—â—ndement to the people perhaps they will have the feaâ—e 〈◊〉 his divine Majestie before their eyes Dispend not your â—oods unprofitable and with vanitie and corrupt not the â—udges with gifts and presents to eate maliciously the subâ—â—ance of another they will question you concerning the â—ew Moone say yee That it is the signe of the time apâ—ointed for pilgrimages It is not reasonable that you â—ould enter the house of another a back way he that â—ares God doth well to enter through the gate Feare â—od and you shall be happie fight for his Law against â—em that assault you and doe wrong to no man he loveth â—at them that are unjust flie Infidels wheresoever you find them and expell them out of the place from which thâ—â— shall have driven you Sedition is worse then murther fight not against them at Mecca untill they assault you they there fight you kill them such is the punishment 〈◊〉 Infidels if they set a period to their infidelity God wiâ—â— be to them gracious and mercifull Fight against them tâ— avoid sedition Faith proceedeth from God If they desâ—â— from their impiety you shall exercise no hostility againâ—â— them but only against the wicked If they fight you in thâ— month of Mharam you shall fight them also in that saâ—â— month and observe a reciprocation in honours Offeâ— them that shall offend you in that month in the same maâ—ner that they shall have offended you Feare God aâ— know that he is with them that feare him dispend for 〈◊〉 glorie and throw not your selves into your owne destrucâ—â—on doe good he loveth those that doe good accompliâ—â— the Pilgrimage appointed if you be not hindred by yoâ— enemies or have not conveniencie to performe it Shaâ— not your heads untill you arrive at the place appoint for Sacrifices if any of you be diseased or sick in the heâ— he shall there give satisfaction by fasting almes and Sâ—crifices when you shall be in a place of safetie and seâ—â— from your enemies Such as shall be hindred to accomplâ—â—â— Pilgrimage and such as have not meanes to satisfie for 〈◊〉 sacrifices ordained shall fast three daies during the tiâ—â— of Pilgrimage and seven daies at their returne which in all ten daies See the explication of Chasai if they be not inhabitants at Mecca wâ—â— their wives and Families Feare God and know that hâ— severe in his punishments Pilgrimage ought to be perâ—â—â—med in a certaine month they that shall desire to perfoâ—â— it at the time prescribed shall not know their wives tâ— shall be humble and shall have no quarrell in that voyaâ—â— God knoweth all your good actions he shall augment yâ— faculties Bedaâ—i faith passe where Adâ—m anâ— Abâ—â—â—am pâ—ssed he is a great rewarder O you that are wise fâ—â— me you sinne not in demanding good from your Lord making merchandize in that voyage When you shall part from the Mountaine of Arefat remember God in of Mouchar remember how he hath guided you and how were before out of the way passe through where that â—ple were wont to passe and implore pardon of God he is gracious and mercifull Having finished your Orisons remember God with affection as your Fathers remembred you There be among the people that say Lord give us good in this world and have no part in the other Others there be that say Lord bestow on us the good of this world Paradise in the other and deliver us from the fire of Hell They shall all find the good and the evill that they have done God is exact to keep account He that shall advance his voyage two dayes shall not sinne neither he that shall retard it if he feare God Feare God and know that you shall all one day appeare before his Divine Majestie to be judged There be men whose speech will be pleasing to thee in this world they will call God to witnesse what is in their hearts neverthelesse they are very pernicious when removed from thee and travelling upon the earth they there commit filthinesse and ruine both Village and fruits God loveth not disorders When it was said to them feare God pride with sin possessed them but Hell shall be their habitation Some there be among the people that sell their owne persons out of a great desire to please God surely he is gracious to them that serve him O yee that believe in God! be obedient to his Commandents and pursue not the steps of the Devill he is your open enemie if you sin against God having once learned his Commandements know that he is omnipotent to chastise you and prudent in all his workes Will the wicked expect that God should appeare to them in the obscuritie of a Cloud Or else the Angels with Command to extirpate them they shall be assembled before his Divine Majestie to be judged Demand of the Children of Israel how many Miracles were made appear to them He that altereth the grace he shall have received of God shall be severely punished The wicked esteeme the life of the world and scorne those that believe in God but such as believe God shall be above them at the day of Iudgement he enricheth with innumerable good things whom he pleaseth The world was all of one Religion See Kitab el tenoir before impietie tooke place God sent his Prophets to instruct the people to shew them their errour and declare to them the joyes of Paradise he sent with them the book of truth to judge the differences among men no man contradicted the Contents of it but * The Iews and Christians such as had knowledge of the Scripture and this caused the envie that is risen among them God guided them that observed his Commandements and such as with his permission obeyed his will he directeth in the right way See Gelaldin whom it pleaseth him Doe yee believe to enter Paradise unlesse that happen to you that befell your Predecessors They were touched with miseries and diseases and trembled untill that very instant that the Prophet said to the true believers that were with him When shall divine succour come Notwithstanding Divine succour was not farre off They shall question thee concerning what they ought to expend Say
little or much and limit the time wherein payment ought to bee made such writings are just before God give more efficacy to testimonie and are requiâ—â—te â—o avoide your complaints one of another If your merchandize be present you shall take it betweene you at the same time then shall you not sinne in not drawing a writing or contract Call witnesses when you sell or buy neither the witnesses nor the Notary shall receive any dammage If you shall doe that which is forbidden you shall doe very ill Feare God he will teach you his Commandements he knoweth all things If you are in a journey and cannot find a Notary you shall give earnest If one trusteth in the other he that shall be trusted in shall satisfie his promise and feare God his Lord no man shall conceale his testimony he that shall conceale shall sinne in his heart God knoweth all your actions Whatsoever is in Heaven or in Earth belonging unto God whether you conceale or reveale what in your minds he shall require an account of you he pâ—â—doneth and chastiseth whom it pleaseth him he is oâ—nipotent The Prophet believed in all that God sent him as likewise all the true believers Such as believe God the Angels and Scriptures and generally all 〈◊〉 Prophets without exception say We have heard 〈◊〉 obeyed Pardon us oh Lord Thou art our refuge Gâ—â— requireth of no man more then he is able to peeform the good that a man shall doe shall be for himselfe 〈◊〉 the evill that he doth shall be likewise agninst him Lâ—â— excuse us if wee have forgotten thee or sinned Lâ—â— charge us not with any heavy burthen as thou diâ—charge them that were before us charge us not with tâ—â—â— which we are not able to suport blot out our sinnes 〈◊〉 give us thy mercy Thou art our Lord give us victory â—gainst the Infidels CHAP. III. The Chapter of the Lienage of Ioachim containing two hâ—â—dred verses written at Medina IN the name of God gracious and mercifull I am 〈◊〉 most wise God God! There is but one only God â—â—ving and eternall He hath sent to thee the Book 〈◊〉 containeth truth and confirmeth the Scriptures 〈◊〉 were sent before it He sent the Old Testament and 〈◊〉 Gospell that were heretofore guides to the people 〈◊〉 hath sent the Alcoran that distinguisheth good from â—vill they that believe not in the Law of God shall 〈◊〉 severely chastised He is omnipotent and revengefull Nâ—thing is hid from him in Heaven or in Earth It is 〈◊〉 that formed you in the wombes of your mothers as it plâ—â—sed him there is no God but the omnipotent and 〈◊〉 God He it is that sent to thee the Book whose preceâ—â—â—â— are necessary See Kitab el tenoir they are the originall and foundation the Law like in puritie one to the other and with contradiction Such as in their heart incline to depart from the truth doe often follow their inclination desirous of sedition and to understand the explication of the Alcoran but none understand its explication but God and such as are profound in learning they say we believe in God all things proceed from his divine wisdome neverthelesse none remember â—ut the wise Lord cause not our hearts to erre after thou hast guided us into the right way give us thy mercy thou art most bountifull towards thy creatures Lord thou art hee that shalt assemble the world at the day of Iudgement at which day nothing shall be found doubtfull when thou wilt not goe against thy promises and when wealth and children shall not serve to the wicked but to kindle the fire of Hell The Infidell lineage of Pharoah and those that preceded him blasphemed and abjured the Law of God but he surprized them in their sinne hee is grievous in his chastisements Say to the Infidels they shall be vanquished and shall be gathered together into the fire of Hell that is prepared for them You have an example in the two Troops that fought for the glory of God they beheld with their eyes Infidels become true believers like unto themselves God strengthneth with his aide whom it pleaseth him this shall be for example to such as shall cleerly see The love and desire of women of children of riches abundance of gold and of silver of horses cattell and of tillage are pleasing to men such are the riches of the life of this world but the most assured refuge is in God Say unto them I will declare unto you things much better for them that shall have the feare of God before their eyes they shall dwell eternally in Paradise where flow many rivers with women beautifull and leane and all manner of content God beholdeth them that adore him and that say Lord we believe in thy Law pardon our sinnes and deliver us from the torments of fire The patient the persevering true believers the obedient the good men such as beg pardon of God in the morning the Angels the Learned that love Iustice testifie that there is but one only God The Law of salvation is a Law pleasing to his divine Majestie no man contradicteth this truth among * The Iews and Christians such as know the written Law but through envie He that shall not obey the Commandements of God shall find his divine Majesty very exact to call him to an accompt See Gelaldin If the impious dispute with thee say to them I am wholy resigned to the will of God The Iews and Christians with all such as have followed me Aske of such as know the written Law and them that know it not if they resigne themselves to God if they doe they will follow the right way The Arabians if they goe astray thou hast none other obligation but to preach to them God beholdeth them that adore him See Kitab el tenoir Declare grievous torments to those that conceale his Commandements that kill the Prophets and injure them that instruct the people in Iustice the good works that they doe shall be unprofitable to them on earth and they shall be in the other world dâ—prived of protection Seest thou not a partie of them that know the written Law how they were called to a Lecture of the Book of God to the end they might judge with equitie the differences that are among them but many are returned to their sinne they contemned the Scripture in that they said the fire shall not touch us but for a certain number of dayes They are deceived in their blasphemies what will become of them when we shall assemble them at the day of Iudgement when nothing shall be doubtfull and every one shall be recompensed as he shall have merited No in justice shall be done unto them Say Lord thou possessest the Kingdomes of the world thou givest Royalty to whom thou seest good from thy hand oh Lord proceedeth all good thou art Omnipotent thou causest day to enter the night and night the day thou
causest life to come out of death and death out of life thou enrichest without measure whom thou seest good The believers shall not obey the unbelievers to the exclusion of true believers he that doth this thing â—bserveth not the Law of God but if you feare your enemies God willeth that you feare him also he is the assured refuge of the righteous say to them whether you conceale what is in your heart or whether you manifest it God knoweth all things he knoweth all that is either in Heaven or Earth he is Omnipotent Think on the day wherein every one shall find the good and the evill that he hath done then shall you desire to be cleansed from your sinnes See Gelaldin and that the number of your good works exceed that of your evill God willeth that you feare him he is gracious to them that worship him Say to them If you love God follow me God shall give you life and pardon your sinnes he is gracious and mercifull Say to them obey God and his Prophet If they returne in their sinne God will very severely punish them he loveth not Infidels God elected Adam and Noah the lineage of Abraham and the lineage of Joachim the one proceedeth from the other God knoweth and understandeth all things Remember thou how the wife of Joachim said Lord I vow unto thee the fruit that is in my wombe free See Kitab el tenoir and exempt from all affaires to serve thee in thy Temple Accept him from me who offer him to thee with affection thou understandest and knowest all things When shee was delivered shee said Lord I am delivered of a Daughter thou knowest thou hast given her to me I have named her Mary I will preserve through thine assistance her and her posterity from the malice of the Devill accept her Lord with a pleasing acceptation and cause her to produce good fruits Zachary had the care of the education of this daughter and whensoever hee went into his Oratorie he there found a thousand sorts of different fruits of divers seasons He said one day oh Mary whence doe these good things proceed she answered they proceed from God who enricheth without measure whom he pleaseth Then Zachary prayed to the Lord and said Lord give me a progenie that may bee pleasing to thee and that may observe thy Commandements Lord heare my prayers The Angels called him and said to him I declare to thee from God that thou shalt have a sonne called John See Gelaldin he shall affirme the Messias to be the word of God that he shall be a great person chaste a Prophet and one of the just Lord answered Zachary how shall I have a sonne I am old and my wife is barren The Angell said to him so God doth as pleaseth him Lord said Zachary give me some signe of the conception of my wife The signe that I will give thee answered the Angell shall be that thou shalt not speake in three dayes but by signes Remember thou thy Lord often praise him evening and morning Remember thou how the Angels said Oh Mary God hath chosen and purified thee above all women of the world oh Mary obey thy Lord praise him and worship him with them that worship him I relate to thee how the matter past thou wert not with the Ministers of the Temple when they cast in their pens to draw lots and to see which of them should have the care of the education oâ— Mary Oh Mahomet neither when they entred upon this difficulty Remember thou how the Angels said oh Mary God declareth unto thee a word from which shall proceed the Messias named Iesus the sonne of Mary full of honour in this world and that shall be in the other of the number oâ— Intercessors with his divine Majestie hee shall speakâ— in the cradle as a man betwixt thirty and fifty years and shall be in the number of the just She said Lord how shall I have a child without the touch of a man he answered so God doth as pleaseth him when he createtâ— any thing he saith be thou and it is I will teach him the Scriptures the Mysteries of the Law the Old Testament and the Gospell and he shall be a Prophet sent to the children of Israel Iesus said to the children of Israel I come to you with evident signs of my mission from your Lord I will make unto you of the slime of the earth the figure of a Bird I will blow upon it incontinently it shall be a Bird and by the permission of God shal fly I wil heal them that are borne blind and the leprous I will raise again the dead I wil teach you what you shal eat and what you ought not to eate this shall serve you for instruction if you believe in God I am come to confirme the old Testament and what hath been taught you heretofore Certainly it is lawfull for you to eat things that have been heretofore forbidden I am come to you with signs of my mission that testifie that I am truly sent from your Lord â—â—are God and obey me God is my Lord and your Lord â—orship him this is the right way When Iesus knew â—heir impiety he said who shall sustaine the Law of God 〈◊〉 my absence The Apostles answered him we will sustain â—â—e Law of God we believe in his unity be thou a witâ—esse before God that we resign our selves wholly to the â—leasure of his divine Majestie Lord we believe in what â—hou hast commanded and we have followed the Proâ—het thy Apostle write us in the number of them that â—rofesse thy Law The Iews conspired against Iesus and God caused their conspiracie to turne against them hee â—noweth the designs of Conspirators Remember thou â—ow the Lord said O Iesus I will cause thee to die I â—ill elevate thee to my self and remove thee farre from â—nfidels and preferre those that have obeyed thee to Infidels at the day of Iudgement That day shall assemble you all before me I will judge the differences between you and will punish the impious in this world and in the other none among them shall be of power to protect them I will reward them that shall have believed in my Law and have done good works God loveth not the unjust I relate to thee these mysteries and teach thee the Alcoran Iesus is with God as is Adam God created him of the Earth he said be thou and he was this truth proceedeth from thy Lord be not thou of the number of them that doubt If any one dispute with thee concerning thy Doctrine say to them Come call together your children and ours your wives and ours let us assemble and addresse our prayers to God I will lay the curse of his divine Majesty upon lyars This discourse is most true there is no God but God alone the omnipotent and wise If they depart from his Commandements he shall well observe the unbelievers say
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 Commandements 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 moneths 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 and such as learn his Commandements He it is that created you of one sole person that gave you the earth to inhabit and preserveth you in the world hee hath conferred his grace on such as have obeyed his Commandements hath made raine 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 Palme 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 devill 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 created 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 benigne 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 shall be blinde shall continue his miserie I am your Tutor neither observe I what you do Thus do I declare the mysteries of my Law the wicked shall in the end confesse that thou hast taught my Commandements to such as inclined to learn them Act what thy Lord hath inspired into thee there is no God but he separate thy selfe from the societie of unbelievers Had it pleased God they had not disobeyed his Commandements thou art not their Tutor injure not them that worship Idols they injure God through malice and ignorancâ— every man esteemeth what he hath done and pleaseth himself in his opinion Certainly they shall all be assembled at the day of Judgement and be chastised after their demerits They have sworn by the name of God to fight for the faith if some miracle appeare to instruct them miracles proceed from God they know not the time wherein he will make them to appeare although they should see miracles they will not be converted I will overturne their hearts blind their sight and they shall never be converted I will leave them in their errors and disobedience with contempt and confusion If we should send to them Angels should the dead come and speake to them and should we bring about them all the witnesses of the world they shall not believe if it so please God most of them are ignorant we have allotted an enemy to each Prophet as the Devill is an enemy to men he tempteth them with the ornament of his discourses to render them proud If it had pleased thy Lord they had wanted that power depart thou from unbelievers and their blasphemies and incline not to their will they shall find no advantage in their impiety Do you desire another Judge then God who hath sent to you the Book that distinguisheth good from evill Such as know the Scripture are not ignorant that this Book was sent from God and containeth the Truth Be not thou in the number of them that doubt the word of God exactly commeth to passe no man can hinder its effects God understandetâ— and knoweth all things If thou incline to the will of most men they will seduce thee they believe but their own opinions and are lyars Thy Lord knoweth them that erre and such as follow the right way Eat what shall be slain in pronouncing the name of God they taught you what was forbidden eat not unlesse constrained through necessity Many erre from the right way and pursue their own appetites and ignorance God beholdeth them that offend him flie publike and secret sinne sinners shall be severely chastised eat not of what is not let-bloud in pronouncing the name of God lest you disobey his Commandements The Devils will tempt them that serve them they will perswade unbelievers to dispute against you if you incline to them you shall be Infidels as they are I raised again many of them that were dead through their sinnes I converted them and gave them a light to illuminate them in the darknesse wherein Infidels shall dwell for ever because they delight in their disobedience Thus will I place in every City leaders that shall seduce the wicked and themselves but shall not understand it When they beheld any signe of the truth of the Prophet appeare they said they will not believe in him unlesse he were accompanied with the vertues and merits of other Prophets God maketh choyce of them on whom he conferreth the grace of prophecie he shall chastise such as discourse in that manner with ignominie in this world and they shall feel in the other great torments by reason of their impietie God rejoyceth the hearts of them that he inclineth to lead into the way of Salvation and punisheth them that digresse from the right path his wrath fell upon the Infidels so soon as he ascended into Heaven The way thou followest is the right way we have recompensed such as have understanding to profit they shall be happy God shall be their protector because of their good works Remember thou the day wherein we shall assemble the people and when it shall be said to the Devils Oh ye bands of Devils wherefore are you risen against men The chiefe of those men that shall have obeyed them shall answer Lord suffer us to be revenged on each other and let each command in his turn See Gelaldin Oh Lord teach us the prefixed time that thou hast appointed to
us to believe in the miracles that wee see neither to obey the Commandements of his divine Majesty Lord give us patience and to dye in the number of True-believers Then said Pharaoh's Doctors dismisse Moses and his people that they may goe whither they see good to pollute the Earth that they may leave thee in quiet with thy Gods He said I will cause their Childeren to be slain their wives to be abused and I will inflict upon them a thousand torments Moses said to his people Implore succors 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 righteous They said Oh 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 happinesse befell 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 Grasse-hoppers Lice Frogs and Bloud one after another neverthelesse they were proud and in the number of the wicked When our wrath fell upon them they said oh Moses call upon thy Lord that hee give us what to thee he promised remove his displeasure from us we will believe thee and will dismisse with thee the Children of Israel When we delivered them from affliction they sharpened 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 Pharoah The Children of Israel having past the Sea met with men that adored Idols and said oh Moses make unto us Gods like to the Gods of this people he answered ye are ignorant these men are wretched what they doe is but ignorance and vanity shall I desire that you worship other Gods then God that preferred you to all the world We have delivered you from Pharoah's people who caused you to endure great torments they murther'd your children abused your wives and you suffered heavy afflictions for the punishment of your sins We detained Moses on the Mountaine 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 Mountaine and that his Lord spake to him he said Lord permit me to see thee he said thou shalt not see me behold this Mountaine if it continue firme in this place thou shalt be able to see me when the Lord appeared upon the Mountaine with his light it was reduced to ashes and Moses amazed fell on the ground as dead When he rose againe he said blessed be the name of God I desire to obey him and believe that no man living is able to behold him He said to Moses I have chosen and preferred thee to all the world I have made thee a Prophet thou hast talked with me receive the grace which I have bestowed on thee and be not ingratefull We gave to him the Tables whereon was written what was necessary for the salvation of men and we said to him receive with affection what I give thee and command thy people to observe the contents of those Tables I will precipitate into Hell such as transgresse my Commandements I will deprive the proud of my graces they will not believe in my Law although they see all the miracles in the world if they see the right way they will not follow it they see the way of error and pursue it because they have abjured my Commandements and rejected my grace the good works of them that disobey me and that believe not in the Resurrection are unprofitable they shall be chastised after their demerits The people of Moses after his departure adored the Calfe a bellowing God saw they not that it spake not to them neither could conduct them into the right way Neverthelesse they adored it for which they were greatly too blame When this Calfe fell to the ground and they found their errour they said if God have not pity on us we shall be miserable When Moses returned he said to them whom did ye obey after my departure You were too hasty to worship that Idol he in displeasure cast against the ground the Tables that God had given him took his brother by the head and dragging him to him said Son of my mother how hast thou governed this people I wanted power replyed he and could not divert them from their evill It wanted little but they had slain me do me no harme rejoyce not my enemies with my misery and account me not with those that adored Idols Moses said Lord pardon me and my brother give us thy mercy thou art the mercifull of the mercifull The wrath of God and the infamy of the world shall fall upon them that worshiped the Calf and blasphemed against God he will be pitifull to such as shall repent and believe in his divine Majesty The displeasure of Moses being allayed he againe tooke the Tables whereon was written the way of salvation for such as have the feare of their Lord before their eyes he caused to be separated from his people at a time appointed threescore and ten persons who were surprized with an earth-quake and with thunder and said Lord thou couldst have destroyed them before they adored the Calf wilt thou destroy us all because of the sin of the ignorant that are amongst us Thou hast desired to prove this people thou guidest and causest to erre whom thou pleasest thou art our Protector pardon our sins for thou art altogether mercifull give us thy grace in this world and guide us to the day of Judgement neer to thy divine Majestie He said I will punish as I see good my mercy embraceth the whole world it is for such as have my feare before their eyes that pay Tithes obey my Commandements follow the right way believe in the Prophet * This is Mahomet who can neither write nor read and what is written in the Old Testament and the Gospell See Kitab el tenoir he shall command them things honest he shall prohibit things uncivill he shall teach them what meats are clean and forbid them to eat what is unclean he shall deliver them from Ceremonies weighty and trublesome and from the
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 harme If you call Idolaters to thâ— right way they will not follow you if ye invoke Idols misery shall be upon you will you be mute to professe the unity of God will you worship the Creatures instead of the Creators Go adore your Idols and may they heare your prayers if you believe them to be Gods Have they feet to walk hands to touch eys to see and eares to heare 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 heare thee they shall look upon thee and shall not see thee do what is lawfull to be done command things honest and depart from the ignorant if the Devill 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 Devill ceaseth not to continue them in their sin they alwayes follow their impiety If thou goest to them to instruct them they say thou singest an old song say unto them I doe 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 heare the Alcoran and study it perhaps God will give you his mercy Remember thou â—od in thy soul worship in publique 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 prayse and adore him with humility CHAP. VIII The Chapter of the spoile containing seventy and five verses written at Medina Mahomets men differed concerning division of the spoyle which they took at the battell of Beder Mahomet divided it among them IN the name of God gracious and mercifull They will demand of thee to whom appertaineth the spoyle Say unto them the spoyle appertaineth to God and his Prophet Feare God live with mutuall amity and obey his divine Majesty and his Prophet if you believe in his Law Such as feare when they heare 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 sinnes and exceeding great treasure When thy Lord caused thee to goe out of thine house to goe against the Infidels a party of the true believers had a great aversion to fighting See Gelaldin they disputed with thee the necessity of Combats 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 then the glory and honour of victory God confirmeth the Truth by his words and destroyeth the wicked he ratifieth the Truth and destroyeth falshood although it be contrary to the will of the impious Remember that your Lord heard you when you of him implored succors and that he assisted you with a thousand of his Angels sent from Heaven God sent you this aide only to let you know his grace and to confirme your hearts victory proceedeth from God he is omnipotent and most prudent Remember that God covered you with a secure sleep and caused water to descend from Heaven to wash purifie and deliver you from the malice of the Devill Plant in your heart generosity and patience and goe on with assurance God hath said to his Angels I will be with you confirme the steps of the True-believers I will cast feare into the heart of the wicked strike them on the head smite them on the fingers and feet because they have contradicted my will and that of the Prophet God severely chastiseth such as disobey his Commandements and oppose the will of his Prophet the unbelievers have heretofore tasted of his punishments in this world and shall in the end feele the paines of the fire of Hell Oh yee who believe in God! turne not the back to the wicked as vanquished when they approach to fight you he that shall turne the back shall returne in the wrath of God and be throwne headlong into the fire of Hell You slew not the Infidels at the fight of Beder God himselfe slew them See Gelaldin * Ob Mahomet Thou didst not cast stones against them God did cast them to advantage the True-believers he understandeth whatsoever they say and knoweth all their actions certainly he will augment the affliction of the wicked When ye required victory it was given you if you relinquish your impiety you shall doe well if you retutne to fight against the Prophet know that he will protect him against you your men of War shall advantage you in nothing notwithstanding they be numerous for that God is with the True-believers O ye that believe obey God his Prophet depart not from him since ye have heard the Commandements of his divine Majesty be not as those that say We have heard and were deaf and dumb The ignominy and misery that God layeth â—n beasts is to be deaf and dumb and to want the use of reason Had God seen any good inclination in the Infidels he had not left them in their deâ—fâ—nesse but although they had heard clearly they should have alwayes departed from his Law and have been obstinate O ye that believe in God! obey God and the Prophet demand life eternall in your prayers and know that God will separate the Gall frâ—m the Liver he will separate the Infidell from the True-believer and you all shall appeare before him to be â—â—compensed and chastised â—or your works feare the punishment that shall be inflicted especially on the seditious and ingratefull God is â—evere in his chastisements Remember that in the territory of Mecca ye were but â—n handfull of weak men and with feare of being taken and destroyed by the unbelievers God saved protected and enriched you with all manner of good things peradventure ye will give him thanks Oh ye that believe betray not God noâ— the Prophet neither such as confide in you and have entrusted their wealth in your hands otherwise your riches and children shall torment you in the other world There is with God great reward for the righteous O ye that believe if ye feare God he shall remove your enemies farre from you and
before their eyes shall suffer no torments in the other world it is declared to them on earth that they shall have all content the word of God admits of no alteration they shall enjoy perfection of felicity in Paradise Afflict not thy self for the words of the impious vertue proceedeth from God he understandeth and knoweth all things whatsoever is in heaven and in earth appertaineth to him They who worship Idols follow but their opinion and are lyars God hath created the night for repose and the day for labour such as heare his Word find therein marks of his omnipotency They have said doe ye believe that God hath a Son Praised be God he is most rich and hath no need of any person he possesseth whatsoever is in heaven and earth you have no reason in what ye alledge will you speak of God what ye know not God doth not aide in this world them that blaspheme against him he shall cause them to feele after their death great torments because of their impiety Instruct them in the History of Noah how he spake to his people and said O people if my abode with you the preaching of the Commandments of God be irksom to you know that all my support is in God assemble your Doctors with your Idols conceal not what ye doe goe whither you will ye shall find none to protect you if ye contemne my instructions I require not of you a reward for my pains I desire to receive of none other then God the Omnipotent and recommend my self to the Mill of his divine Majesty They slandered Noah then did we save him in the Arke and them that were with him we prolonged their posterity on earth and drowned the wicked consider the end of such as heard the word of God and contemned it We sent to them other Prophets after Noah they made them to see miracles and gave them most salutary instructions but they did not believe in what they had no will before to believe Thus I harden the heart of the wicked We after them sent Moses to Pharaoh and his subjects without miracles they arose against our Commandements when the truth was preached to them and said it was but Magick and enchantment Moses said to them will you say that the Truth is Sorcery God doth not assist Magicians and Sorcerers they said Art thou with thy brother come to divert us from the Religion of our Fathers and to be esteemed on earth We will believe in thy words Then Pharaoh commanded to summon the most skilfull of his Magicians they being assembled Moses said to them cast downe what yee have a will to cast downe on the ground having cast downe their cords and staves Moses said to them know ye none other thing but Magick God shall render it vaine and unprofitable he abhorreth such as defile the earth he confirmeth the Truth through his Word although it be against the will of the wicked Few men believed in Moses because of their feare to displease Pharoah and his Ministers Pharoah was powerfull on earth and in the number of the wicked Moses said O people if ye believe in God resign your selves to his will they answered All our confidence is in God Lord doe not thou abandon us to the malice of the unjust deliver us through thy mercy from the hands of Infidels We inspired Moses and his brother to dwell some time in Egypt with their people and to make Oratories in their houses therein to make their prayers and Preach to true believers Lord said Moses thou hast enriched Phaâ—oah and his people in this world they goe astray from the way of thy Law confound their riches and harden their hearts they will not believe untill they see thy judgements and feel the effect of thy wrath he said I hâ—â—e heard the prayers of you both be faithfull in your Embassie and follow not the way of the ignorant We gave passage through the sea to the children of Israel Pharoah pursued them with hatred and envy untill his people were drowned Then said Pharoah I 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 Pharoah and wert before disobedient to his Commandements filling the earth with thy enormities I have delivered thee from this perill that thou maist be an example to posterity for many among the people are ignorant of my omnipotency We gave the Children of Israell 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 Judgement If thou doubtest what we have taught thee repaire 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 Commandements 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 untill 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 Jonas embraced it we delivered them from our punishment we delivered them from ignominy and enriched them untill the time appointed if it pleased thy Lord all the world should believe in him wilt thou abhorre the people untill they believe in God No man can embrace the faith withâ—ut his permission he sendeth his indignation against them that disobey his Commandements 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 Commandements Oh 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 professe his Unity I am not of them that say he hath a companion equall to him Adore not what can neither benefit nor hurt thee if thou doe it thou shalt be in the number of the unjust If God will afflict thee none can deliver thee from affliction if God will doe good to thee none can deprive thee of his grace he hath given it to whom seemeth good to himself he is gracious and mercifull Oh people God teacheth you the truth whosoever shall follow the right way shall save his soule 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 wil expect the Judgement of God there is
shame and perpetually tormented When our will was to destroy that people and the light of the morning appeared and the water boyled in Noah's pot we commanded him to charge his Arke with two beasts of every kind and Species all creatures were destroyed except those of which we before made mention as well such as believed as them that did not believe and that but a few Noah said unto them ascend the Arke in the name of God who shall cause it to swimme and to anchor the Lord is gracious and mercifull towards us When the Arke began to flote like to a Mountaine Noah called to one of his sonnes who stayed on the Earth and said my * Gelalldin saith that he was called Kinan sonne come up into the Arke with us and remaine not with the Infidels he answered I will ascend an high mountaine that shall save me from the waters Noah said to him none is able this day to deliver thee from the punishment of God if it be not through his mercy The waters being risen he was in the number of them that were drowned God commanded the Earth to drinke its water and the Heavens to poure downe no more raine the water diminished upon the Earth after the people were drowned and the Arke rested upon the Mountaine called Gioudy thus were the unjust extirpated Noah prayed to his Lord and said Lord my son that remained in the waters was of my lineage thou didst promise me to save my family thou dost exactly performe thy promise thou art true in thy words and most just in thine actions Oh Noah answered â—od that son is not of thy lineage he hath offended me and disobeyed my Commandements doe not enquire of me concerning that which thou oughtest not to know otherwise thou shalt be in the number of the ignorant Lord said Noah I will take heed through thine assistance to enquire of thee what I ought not to know if thou hast not pitie on me I shall be in the number of the miserable God said oh Noah descend from the Arke with Salvation and blessing upon thee and upon a part of them that are with thee I will enrich the other part with the wealth of this world to punish them most severely at the day of Judgement I teach what shall be what neither thou nor thy people have not yet knowne be patient in thine afflictions Paradise is for them that have my feare before their eyes Wee sent Hod to the people of Aad his brother he said unto them oh people adore but one God alone otherwise ye shall be in the number of Infidels I require of you no recompense for the paines I take in preaching to you he that created me shall reward me will ye never be wise implore pardon of God be converted and obey his divine will he shall send you raine from Heaven and shall encrease your strength and riches be not in the number of the wicked they answered oh Hod thou shewest us no reasons to prove thy sayings thy words shall not make us to quit our Gods we give no credit to thy discourse and tell thee that some one of our Gods shall severely chastise thee He said take God and your selves to wâ—tnesse that I am innocent of the sinne that you commit in adoring Idols if you conspire against me none shall be able to protect you at the day of Judgement I recommend my selfe to the will of God mine and your Lord he conserveth all the crâ—atures of the Earth and loveth them that follow the right way I have discharged my duty and commission I have taught you what God commanded me if you goe astray he shall establish another â—eople in your place you do him no harme through your impiety he exactly observeth whatsoever is done in the world When we destroyed that pâ—ople we by our speciall grace delivered Hod from their malice and all the True-believers that were with him we delivered them from great affliction The pâ—ople of Aad contemned the Commandements of God and disobeyed his Prophets they followed the will of the obstinate were cursed in this world and shall be accursed at the day of Judgement because they disobeyed his divine Majesty with designe to extirpate the people of Hod his brother We sent Salhe to Temod his brother and his people he said to them oh pâ—ople worshâ—p one God alone he it is who hath created you of the dust of the earth and filled it with many sorts of fruits that you might inhabit it beg pardon of him and be converted he hearkneth to his creatures and heareth their prayers they answered oh Salhe it was hoped thou wouldst have beene our Captaine before the prohibitâ—on was made to adore the Gods of our fathers wee exceedingly doubt of what thou preachest Oh people said Salhe know ye not that God taught me what to you I preach and that he hath given me his grace who shall protect me if I disobey him You can but augment my paine should I believe you O people this Camell which God for you hath created shall be to you a miracle and instruction sufâ—er it to feed and doe it no harme The Turks believe that Salhe changed a rock into a Caâ—ell lest you be suddenly chastised They thâ—ough contempt wounded the Camell Then said he unto them ye shall live in your houses for the space of three dayes before ye be destroyed what is foretold to you is no Fiction when we destroyed them we through our speciall grace saved Salhe and the true-believers that were with him thunder surprized those Infidels and in the morning they were found in their houses dead extended as carkases Thus did Temod and his people contemne the Commandments of God to their disadvantageâ— Our Messengers that came to Abrahams house declared to him the birth of Isaac Jacob and their posterity they mutualy saluted when they enâ—â—ed into his house he caused rosted flesh to be brought to them to eate and perceiving that they did not eate contemned them in himself and was terrified with their coming they said unto him feare not we are sent to Lot to extirpate the inhabitants of his City Abrahams wife being present began to laugh when they foretold the birth of Isaac Jacob and their posterity she said ah God! shall I beate a son I who am old and have an husband extreamly aged this would be a miracle they answered are ye astonished at the power of God O ye of the family of Abraham God hath given you his blâ—ssing praise and glory are due to him in all places When Abraham was freed from his feare and they having announced the birth of his children he disputed with them a long time touching the inhabitants of the City of Lot he was of a mild disposition and frequently repeated the praâ—ses of God The Messengers said unto him O Abraham put an end to thy questions the houre is come wherein God hath commanded to destroy them they shall
the wicked dispute his omnipotency He it is who ought to be implored the prayers of them who implore another God are ineffectuall 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 cleerly is darkness like unto light shall they adore the Creatures in stead 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 Mettals 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 Commandements who have his fear before their eyes who apprehend the day of Judgement 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 publikely and blot out their offendes 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 eternall grace Such as shall swarve from their promise and disobey the Commandements of God and pollute the Earth shall be accursed of God and severely chastised he giveth and deprived 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 misleadeth 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 wil my refuge is in his goodness If the Alcoran should make Mountains to go â—hould it cause the Earth to open and the dead to arise all would proceed from God True-believers ought not to dispair 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 fâ—lfilled He swarveth 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 afflâ—ctâ—ons 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 God shall mislead shall find none to guide him he shall be afflâ—cted in this world and yet more in the other None shall be able to save him but God Paradise is promised to them that have his fear before their eyes they shall enjoy eternally all manner of content such is the end of the righteous and Hell is prepared for Infidels They to whom we have given the knowledge of Scriptures rejoyce in the doctrine which we have sent thee there be that abjure one part say unto them I recommend unto you only the worship of one sole God who is the assured refuge of the righteous We have sent the Alcoran in the Arabique tongue to the end the Arabians may comprehend it If thou dost follow the will of unbelievers having had the knowledge of the unity of God who shall be able to save or protect thee We sent Prophets before thee commanded them to marry they had children Prophets cannot performe miracles wâ—thout the permission of God and the end of every thing is written in his Book he bloâ—â—eth out and leaveth permanent what seemeth good to him he cannot alter I perceive that some of the wicked have a designe to murther thee thou art obliged only to preach to them I will keep an accompt of their sins to punish them See they not that their Countries and possessions diminisheth daily through thy conquests God commandeth what pleaseth him no man can escape his judgements he is most exact in his accâ—unt their predecessors used subtilties as they but God is more subtile then they he wel knoweth the good and evil which every one doth they shall one day understand who must have Paradise They say thou art no Prophet say unto them It is sufficient that God is witnes of the truth between you and me who is he that knoweth what is written in the Book of his divine Majesty CHAP. XIV The Chapter of Abraham containing fifty verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and mercifull I am the mercifull God That Book We have sent it to thee to bring the people out of darkness to guide them to the light and the way of thy Lord alwayes victorious and glorious Whatsoever is in Heaven and in Earth is Gods misery is upon unbelievers they shall undergoe at the end of the world exceeding great torments They who preferre the wealth of this world to that of Heaven who goe astray from the way of the Law and would pervert it are in a great error far from truth The Prophets spake the language of them to whom they were sent to instruct them God guideth and misleadeth whom to him seemeth good he is omnipotent and prudent We sent Moses with prodigies to bring the children of Israel out of darkness and to conduct them to light he taught them the Commandements of the Law to serve for instruction to such as shall persevere to do well and shall not be ingratefull for the favours they have received Moses spake to his people and said remember the grace of God towards
in parables Certainly they conspire but God knoweth their conspiracy their policie is to tempt the Prophet to see if he will make the Mountains to move Think not that God will violate what hee hath promised to the Prophets hee is omnipotent and avengefull Consider the day wherein the Earth and Heavens shall change their face and all people shall rise again that day shall one sole God omnipotent command men to come out of their Monuments Thou shalt that day see the wicked bound in their chaines their garments shall be full of pitch and guitran their faces shall be covered with fire that day shall he recompense and chastise every one according to his works he is exact to keep account This Book was sent to instruct the people and teach them that there is but one God the wise will remember CHAP. XV. The Chapter of Hegir containing seventy and seven Verses written at Mecca Hegir is a Valley neer Mecca IN the name of God gracious and mercifull I am the mercifull God The signes are the signes of the Alcoran which distinguisheth good from evill How may the Infidels hope what the True-believers hope for depart from them See Kitab el tenoir let them eat the substance of the poore let them become rich and content themselves in their hopes they shall see one day what their end shall be We have destroyed no City untill the time destined to its ruine was expired there is no Nation that can advance or retard its destiny The wicked have said oh man who believest that the Alcoran was sent to thee we will affirme that thou art a Sorcerer untill the Angels do assure us that thou are true The Angels shall not descend to the earth unlesse to chastise them and they shall not be able to retard the time of their punishment we certainly have sent the Alcoâ—an upon earth and will preserve it without alteration we heretofore sent prophets one after another the wicked scorned and contemned them thus I imprint impiety in the hearts of the wicked they shall not believe in the Prophet and shall incur the punishment of their predecessors should we open the entrance of heaven and should they behold the Angels go in and goe out at the shadow of the gate they would yet say their eyes were inchanted and that they were bewitched we created signes in heaven and adorned them with Starres to contâ—nt the mindes of them that consider them wee sheltered them from the assaults of the devill but the Butterflie followeth every thing that shineth and believeth it to be a Starre we extended the earth and raised the mountains with proportion we have made it to produce all sorts of fruits to sustain and enrich you we have reserved in our powâ—r the keyes of the treasures thereof to distribute to them by measure what shall be necessary we caused a fresh winde to arise and sent rain to water them it is not you that caused the fruits thereof to spring forth it is we who give life and death and dâ—spose of all things in the world Wee know who they were that did procede you and who they shall be that shall succeed you I will assemble all at the end of the world to be judged we created man of the slime of the earth and before him the devill of fire without smoak Remember thou that God said to his Angels I will create man of the slime of the earth I will breathe upon him to give him life prostrate your selves before him the Angels adored him except the devill God said unto him wherefore dost thou not adore man He replied I will not adore him thou hast created me of fire and him of the mire of the earth He said get thee out of Paradise thou shalt be banished and accursed untill the day of Judgement Lord said the devill lay not thy curse upon me untill the day of Judgement he said thou shalt be accursed untill the day nominated Lord said the devill I will tempt all the creatures because thou hast tempted me I will cause them to disobey thy Commandements except such as shall trust in thee and recommend themselves to thy divine Will God said this is the right way thou hast no power over the righteous who follow my Law but only over the Infidels for whom hell is prepared Hell hath seven gates and every gate hath its particular work the righteous shall dwell in gardens adorned with fair fountains we will free them from all rancour they shall repose upon beds like brethren with respect and affection and shall be in eternall felicity Declare to them that worshâ—p me that I am gracious and â—â—â—ciful and my chastâ—sements are sâ—vâ—re and rigorous Preach unto them the Hâ—story of the guest of Abraham they saâ—â—ted him when they eâ—â—red his house Abraâ—â—m was â—â—â—â—ified at their comming they said to him fear not us we are the Messengers of God we declare to thee that thou shalt have a son who shall be a great personage Do you tell me said he that I shall have a son in mine old age why speak ye in that manner We tell thee the truth despairâ— not of the grace of God none but the wicked despaire O Messengers of God! said Abraham what doe ye require We are sent to destroy the Infidels and to preserve the whole family of Lot except his wife she shall remain wâ—th them that shall be punished When these Messengers came to Lots house he told them he knew them not they said to him we are come to thee to cleare this people of their doubt of Gods Omnipotencie what we speak unto thee is most true cause thy family this night to go out of the City and follow their steps that none among you look behind him and go whither you shall be commanded the wicked shall in the morning be destroyed The Inhabitants of the City came to Lots house to see those strangers Lot said unto them I beseech you defile not your selves with my Guest fear God and dishonour not your selves behold my daughters take them They said we do not hinder thee to lodge thy guests and remained confounded in their drunkenness In the morning thunder surprised them we overthrew the City upside down and caused it to rain stones with fire that utterly destroyed it This shal serve for example to passengers that shal see those ruines and for a mark of the Omnipotency of God to them that shall believe in his divine Majesty They that inhabited the wood neer to Medina were impious but we avenged us on them they served for example to posterity as did the people of the City of Lot They that dwell in the Valley of Heâ—ir have defamed the Prophets we gave them to see our Miracles and taught them our Commandements they contemned them but they reposed in the morning in their houses built upon the mountains and in their fortesses when thunder suprised them their treasures did not save them
the Temple of Jerusalem as they had ruined it the first time Your Lord shall pardon you if you convert we have established Hell for a perpetuall prison of Infidels The Alcoran guideth the righteous into the right way it declareth to them a great reward preacheth to the wicked the torments of Hell and exhorteth men to wel-doing although they are inclining to evill and prompt to sin We created the day and the night they are two signes of our omnipotency we caused the night to passe away and the day to appeare for labor and to the end ye might know number of ages of months and of yeares wee explained our mysteries without obscurity and have enjoyned every one to beare the burden of his iniquities at the day of judgement that day will we make men to see the accompt of their sins they shall be recompenâ—ed and chastised according to the good and evill that they shall have committed and none shall beare burden of his neighbor we sent to the people Prophets and Apostles to preach to them our Commandements before they were chastised before the destruction of a City we advertâ—sed the principall inhabitants thereof when they disobeyed us we chastised them according to our word and destroyed them How many Cities have we ruined since Noahs flood The sins of the people and knowne to their Lord he giveth the riches of this world to them that desire them to cause them to fall head-long into Hell where they shall repent of their iniquities and be deprived of mercy He who shall labor to acquire the riches of Heaven shall be protected of thy Lord in this world and enriched with the Treasures of Heaven in the other Consider how we prefer our Creatures one to another the reward of Heaven is much greater then that of the Earth Believe not that there be two Gods otherwise you shall repent of it and be deprived of protection at the day of judgement Thy Lord hath ordained to worship him alone and to honour your father and mother especially in their old age and say nothing to them that may afflict them neither vex them speak to them with respect doe not contemne them pray to God to compassionate them as they pittied when they brought you up in your infancy God knoweth whatsoever is in your souls he will be mercifull to you if ye obey him Give to your parents what appertaineth to them doe good to the poore and to pilgrims be not prodigall the prodigall are brethren of the Devill ingratefull for the favors of their Lord. Contemne not the poore if ye desire to obtain the mercy of God speak to them with mildnesse and endeavour to content them doe not entirely shut your hands neither altogether extend them if yee doe otherwise yee shall offend Thy Lord giveth and taketh away his graces as seemeth good to him hee knoweth his people and understandeth all their actions Slay not your children for feare of necessity I will give whatsoever shall be necessary for them the murther of children is an exceeding great sin flie whoredom it is a thing uncleane kill no man without reason we have commanded to pursue him that shal have slain his neighbour but let not the heir sin maliciously prosecuting the innocent for the guilty The innocent is in Gods protection take not the goods of Orphans and be carefull of them untill they be in yeers of discretion satifie your promises an accompt shall be required of you measure with good measure and weigh with just weights Busie your selves not with that which you ought not to know There shall be required of you an accompt of the sins ye have committed in seeing hearing and thinking Be not proud ye shall never be so long as the Earth neither so high as the Mountains such sins are exceeding great before thy Lord It is one part of what he hath inspired into thee to preach to his people Say not there be two Gods left thou be confined to the fire of Hell Your Lord hath elected you with all those men and women that obey his Commandements for his sons and daughters as the Angels yet say not that God hath children We made mention in the Alcoran of whatsoever is necessary to be preached to the people say unto them If there be a God with God as ye affirme invok him that hath his Throne in Heaven praised be God he hath no Companion he is most high and great The seven Heavens praise him and all that is in Earth glorifie him but ye comprehend it not he is gracious and mercifull We will separate thee from the wicked we will harden their hearts and stop their ears When thou shalt read the Alcoran and say There is but one God they will turne the back and deride thee I know what they desire to heare they would have the people to hearken to the words of the unjust who say That thou art a Sorcerer and a Magician consider to whom they compare thee they certainly are in error and are not able to find the right way What! we are say they bones and flesh shall we rise againe and become new Creatures who shall cause us to rise again Say unto them Although ye be stone iron bones and flesh he who first created you shall raise you againe They shall shake the head at thee and ask of thee In what time they shall rise againe say unto them Peradventure it shall be suddenly When ye shall be called out of the graves by the Commandement of God ye will believe that ye have remained but very little time in the world then shall the Infidels confesse that the Devill hath deceived them and that he is their open enemy Your Lord knoweth you all he will pardon or chastise you as seemeth good to him We have not sent thee to be their guardian thy Lord knoweth whatsoever is in Heaven and in Earth Certainly we gave graces to some Prophets which we gave not to others and we gave the Psalter to David Say unto the Infidels invoke the Idols which you adore and see if they are of power to deliver you from affliction They that implore God desire to be nigh unto him who are they that shall neerest approach his divine Majesty they who hope in his mercy or such as feare his punishment Certainly his punishment ought most to be feared We will destroy all the Cities of the world before the day of Judgement and chastise the wicked with rigorous torments this is written upon the Tables kept in heaven nothing hath hindred us to manifest the miracles which the inhabitants of Mecca desire to see but the contempt shewed by their predecessors Tenod saw the miracles of the Camell and contemned it I will no more shew miracles but to make the people to apprehend the torments of hell Remember thou that we have said to thee that thy Lord knoweth all that the world doth that which we gave thee to see in the voyage by
night is to prove the people as the cursed tree See Gelaldin which is spoken of in the Alcoran there be persons that will believe it others that will not believe but I will trie them to augment their confusion Remember thou that we commanded the Angels to humble themselves before Adam and that they did humble themselves except the devill who said shall I adore him whom thou hast created of the earth who is he whom thou hast preferred to me Certainly if thou tarry untill the day of Judgement I will destroy his race except that small number that shall be under thy protection Thy Lord said unto him get thee hence hell shall be thy punishment and the punishment of them that shall follow thee deceive by thy speeches them whom thou shalt be able to deceive seduce whom thou canst seduce with the wealth of the earth cause them to exercise Usury and commit the sin of whoredome tell them there is neither Resurrection nor Judgement whatsoever thou shalt promise them shall be but vanity and falshood thou shalt have no power over them that shall worship me I will protect them against thee It is your Lord who causeth the ship to travell upon the waters for the advantage of traffique when the tempest chargeth you your Idols forsake you he alone is able to protect you neverthelesse when he hath caused you to arrive at the Port you deny his Unity and follow your impiety believe ye that he will another time make the sea calm to you and that he will send you a favourable wind if you doe not acknowledge him your protector Believe ye to returne againe to the sea He shall send you an impetuous wind that shall overwhelme you with your impietie and ye shall find none to protect you against him We have conferred on men many favours we have â—onducted them on thâ— earth and sea enriched with all sorts of riches and gratified them above all creatures of the earth preach to them the day wherein I will assemble before me all the Nations of the world with the Prophet that shall have preached to them He to whom shall be given the Book of the Accompt of his works in his right hand shall read his accompt entirely no injustice shall be done to him and he shall be happy He that shall be blind in this world shall be so in the other and shall not see the right way They would divert thee from performing what we have inspired into thee to induce thee to blaspheme against me If thou do it thou shalt be of their friends were it not for the strength that we have given thee they would make thee to incline to their impiety hadst thou done it we had given thee to taste of great afflictions in this world in the other thou hadst found none to protect thee against us it wanted not much but they had affrighted thee at Medina to cause thee to go out of it had they driven thee thence they had not continued there long after thee We heretofore sent our Prophets to instruct the people in our Law thou shall find therein nothing to change make thy prayers when the Sun shall set at the beginning and at the end of the night and at the dawning of day the Angels shall be witnesses of thine orisons spend one part of the night in prayer this shall be an augmentation of merit thy Lord shall establish thee in the place of his glory Say Lord into whatsoever place I goe make me to enter and goe forth with truth give me thy protection Say See Gelaldin that truth is come and that vanity is vanished this Book shall heal the people of their error it shall bring them into the way of mercy and encrease the misery of unbelievers We have exhorted men to abandon their impiety they have not done it and despaired when they were touched with affliction Say unto them each of us doth after his will and God knoweth him that followeth the right way they shall demand of thee concerning the Soul Say unto them the soul is an effect of God he hath given you very little knowledge assuredly had it so pleased him he could have deprived you of the knowledge he hath given you you shall find nothing that is able to protect you but his mercy Say unto them if the devils and men were all assembled against me they should not be able to compose a Book like the Alcoran We have taught in the Alcoran whatsoever is necessary for the salvation of men neverthelesse the greatest part of the people depart from the Truth and say we will not believe thee unlesse thou cause fountains to spring out of the earth and make in this place a garden beautified with Date trees and Vines with rivers flowing in the midst or unlesse we see descend from heaven a part of the pains which thou preachest we will not believe thee unlesse God and the Angels come to thy assistance unlesse thy house be of fine gold and that we see the Book of Truth sent from heaven we will not believe in thy Parchment unlesse we see descend from heaven a Book which we may be able to read Say unto them praised be my Lord am I any thing but a man sent from him what hindreth men to believe since there hath been sent to them a Pilot to conduct them into the way of salvation They say that thou art a man and not an Angel Say unto them should the Angels have inhabited the Earth God would have sent an Angel to instruct them it sufficeth that he is the witnesse of mine actions between you and me he knoweth and seeth all things he whom God guideth is well guided and such as God shall cause to erre shall find none to put them into the right way he will assemble all of them at the day of Judgement they shall be infamous deaf mute and blind and condemned to the flames of hell because they are wicked and have said through derision that they are bones and flesh and that they shall rise againe as new creatures see they not that God hath created heaven and earth that he can create yet more and hath established a destiny indubitable and infallible The unbelievers are exceedingly too blame Say unto them should you possesse all the treasures of the world yet would ye feare to make expence for the service of God man is too avaricious we gave to Moses nine marks of our Omnipotency known to the children of Israel Pharoah told him that he was a Magician His hand his staffe the deluge grashoppers lice frogs blood fear and famine See Bedaoi assuredly said Moses these signs and miracles that thou seest proceed from God Lord of heaven and earth I believe Oh Pharoah that thou forsakest the Truth Then would Pharoah have driven him out of Egypt but we drowned all those that were with him and commanded the children of Israel to inhabit the land we
will assemble them at the end of the world to reward them after their works We have indeed sent thee the Alcoran from heaven to proclaime the joys of Paradise and to preach the torments of hell we have sent it to the end thou maist teach it to the people we have sent it clear and intelligible that it may be understood according to occurences Say unto them believe or bâ—lâ—eve it not when those that have knowledge in the written Law heard it read they prostrated themselves on the ground with humility and said praised be God what he promiseth is infallible and incontinently is his command executed they wept prostrating the face towards the earth and the reading of the Alcoran augmented their devotion Say unto them implore God call God mercifull all his Attributes are most glorious Make it not appear to the world how often thou shalt pray neither how often thou shalt read the Alcoran and fear not to pray to God and to read the Alcoran follow in this the middle path and say praised be God he hath no Son he hath no companion neither protector to preserve him from contempt his greatness is perfect and compleat CHAP. XVIII The Chapter of the Cave containing an hundred and ten Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and mercifull Praise be to God who hath sent the Alcoran to his servant There is no contradiction in this Book it teacheth the right way it preacheth to the wicked that they shall suffer great torments and proclaimeth to the righteous that they shall enjoy an eternall felicity it preacheth the torments of Hell principally to such as affirm That God hath a Son they are ignorant like to their predecessors they are arrogant in their discourse and utter nothing but blaspemies Wilt thou destroy thy self in following their footsteps If they believe not in the Alcoran they shall one day have sorrow and shall repent it We adorned the Earth with whatsoever is upon it for the advantage of men One part thereof is happy and plentifull and the other unfruitfull and desart Do ye not believe that the sleepers that entred the Cave and the Paper wherein their names were written be our miracles when those men entred the Cave they said Lord give us thy mercy and guide us into the right way Then did we cause them to sleep for the space of some years and awaked them having continued some time in that Cave to make it appear which of the two Religions was the most just I will relate to thee their History with truth they were young men who had the fear of their Lord before their eyes we strengthned them and encreased their faith when they were with the Infidels they said Our God is Lord of Heaven and Earth we will never worship but one God otherwise we shall separate our selves from the truth This people have adored Idols without reason who is more unjust then he who blasphemeth against God When they deserted the Infidels they worshipped one God alone Enter into the Cave God shall make his mercy towards you to appear and shall guide you through a path smooth and pleasant When the Sun arose he cast his rayes on the right side of their Cave and on the left at his going down they in the mean time were in the most spacious place of this Cave This is one of Gods miracles hee whom he guideth is well guided and whom he misleadeth shall find none to give him succour or to guide him Believe ye that they should be awake Assuredly they slept and turned themselves sometimes to one side sometimes to another Consider how their Dog extended his feet before that old habitation of stone if any one had entred towards them he would have caused them to flie and had affrighted them In the end we awaked them and they mutually enquired of each other in what place they were and how long they had there continued one of them replyed That they had been there a day or two then they all said God knoweth the time that we have abode here send one of us to the City with money to buy bread and meat let him not be fearfull neither make himself known to any if wee be known they will murther or constrain us to follow their Religion in which we shall be eternally miserable Thus did we stir up the people against them to the end they might know that thy Lord is true when he said He will cause the dead to arise again the Resurrection is indubitable nevertheless unbelievers dispute among them concerning the History of the Sleepers and say That they built a secret place to retire themselves God knoweth the Truth The True-believers believe that they made no building the Infidels say they were five and that their dog was the sixth they speak by opinion but the True-believers affirm them to be seven and their dog to be the eighth Say unto them My Lord knoweth how many they were few persons except God know â—heir number Doubt no more the History of the Sleeâ—ers the matter is averred and known dispute no more with the Jews and say not I will do this to morrow without saying If it please God Call God to minde after thou hast forgot him and say The Lord shall guide me and teach me the History of the Sleepers See Gelaldin who remained in the Cave three hundred years there be who affirme they continued there nine hundred years Say unto them God knoweth the time of their abode there he knoweth whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth he understandeth and seeth all things he alone disposeth every thing and hath no companion Preach what thy Lord hath inspired into thee his word admitteth of no alteration there is no safer refuge then in him dwell with those that invoke him morning and evening and desire to see his face depart not from their company if thou desirest to have content of life in this world obey not those whose heart we have hardned and are unmindfull of us follow not their impiety whatsoever they do is but offence and sin Say unto them the truth proceedeth from your Lord who shall desire it shall be True-believers and who shall not desire it shall be an Infidell we have prepared Hell to chastise the impious and prisons wherein to detaine them They shall implore succors against the melting pit into which they shall be plunged as into waters it shall rost their faces and shall be their drink I will not frustrate of reward them that shall have done well they shall enjoy the delights of the gardens of Eden wherein flow many rivers they shall have bracelets of â—ine Gold they shall be cloathed with green with Scarlet and shining colours and shall sit on thrones with an eternall felicity Declare to them this parable there were two men I gave to the one of them gardens whereâ—n was store of fruits he in contempt told his companion that he was more wealthy
and powerfull then he and entred into his gardens being an Infidell and an Idolater and said I doe not think these shall ever have an end they shall endure a long time without withering His companion said to him If thou dost not ackowledge this to proceed from God and if thou be ingratefull towards him that created thee of dust and made thee a man thou shalt soon finde thy gardens ruined this commeth from God my Lord who hath no companion all strength and truth proceedeth from his divine Magesty If I have lesse of substance then thou God can give me fruits more faire then those of thy gardens or send thunder that shall destroy them he shall fill them with water of rain that shall encompasse them and hinder thee to approach them In the morning this Infidell found his gardens destroyed to the very roots he was extreamly perplexed by reason of the expence he had made to plant them eavenly and he said would to God I had not adored Idols He shall find none that is able to protect him at the day of Judgement but God all protection and grace issueth from his divine bounty and the end of the righteous shall be happy Speak unto them this parable the life of the world is like unto rain fallen from Heaven that refreshed and revived the herbs of the Earth and in the morning were drie as chaste carried away by the winde God is omnipotent Riches and children are the ornaments of this life but good works are eternall they are acceptable to God and give us hope of his grace Be thou mindfull of the day when the mountains shall walk and thou shalt see the Earth to be plain that day we assemble the good and the wicked and will not faile of my word to any person that day shall the Infidels beseech the Lord to save them he shall say unto them you came unto us naked as when we at first created you and ye believed on Earth that there was no resurrection Then shall he give to every one the Book wherein shall be written the accompt of their sinnes Thou shalt see the wicked trembling with fear saying behold here our destruction What is there in this Book It containeth their veniall and mortall sinnes and detecteth their offences they shall find the number of their crimes before their eyes Thy Lord is unjust to none Remember thou that we commanded the Angels to prostrate themselves before Adam and that they humbled themselves except the Devill who was in the number of Angels he disobeyed his Lord neverthelesse Adam and his posterity have obeyed him although he is their open enemy and particularly of the Infidels Consider ye not that God created Heaven and Earth that he made you and hath no need to be aided of you Be thou mindfull of the day when it shall be said to Idolaters call upon your Idols that ye have worshipped for remission of your sinnes they shall implore them but none shall hear their prayers we have ruined them the wicked shall behold the fire into which they shall fall and finde none to save them We taught men in the Alcoran many parables yet do the wicked abound in questions and dispute too much What hindreth men to believe since there is come to them a guide to conduct them into the right way If they beg not pardon of God what hapned to their predecessors and at Beder shall befall them they shall be visibly punished I send Prophets only to anounce the joyes of Paradise and to preach the torments of Hell the unbelievers dispute vainly to obscure the truth they deride my Commandements and the fire of Hell who is more unjust then hee who knoweth the Commandements of his Lord and disobeyeth him and forgetteth his past sinnes We have hardned their hearts they shall not understand the Scripture we have stopped their eares they shall heare nothing if thou callest them to the right way they shall not follow thee thy Lord is gracious and mercifull should he chastise them after their demerits he should forthwith destroy them he tarrieth untill the time that he hath promised to punish them and they shall finde none of power to protect them Wee have destroyed Cities when their Inhabitants have offended and we prefixed the day of their ruine Remember thou that Moses said to his servant I will travell incessantly untill I see a place where two seas meet although I travell an Age. When he came to that place hee and his servant forgot their fish he had taken his way through the Sea Having continued their voyage some time Moses was an hungry and demanded somewhat to eat of his servant who said to him Sawest thou what hapned at the Rock I have forgotten our fish the Devill made me to forget it he miraculously took his way through the Sea that Rock is the place which we seek they both returned on their stops discoursing together untill they came to that Rock where they found one of our servants on whom we had conferred our graces and inspired knowledge Moses said unto him permit me to follow thee that thou maist teach me knowledge and instruct me He replyed thou wilt not be able to abide patiently with me how wilt thou patiently endure to hear a thing which none in the world eveâ— knew Moses said thou shalt find me exceeding patient and I will not disobey thee He answered if thou follow me enquire nothing of me and hear only what I shall say to thee They went together and they being in a boat he brake a planck Moses said to him thou hast broken this vessell to drown us it is a strange thing He answered Did not I tell thee that thou wilt not be able patiently to abide with me Moses replied excuse me and afflict me not I had forgotten what thou didst enjoyne me They went on together untill they met with a child whom he slew Moses said to him thou hast slain an innocent that hath not slain any one thou hast done a thing without reason and that ought not to be approved He answered did I not say thou wilt not be able patiently to abide with me Moses said to him excuse me this time also if I demand ought else of thee abandon me They coninued their way unto a Village where the Inhabitants refused them bread at that time they found a wall ruined which he raised again Moses said unto him thou shouldst have been payed for repairing this wall if thou wouldest He answered now behold the place of our separation nevertheless I will explain to thee what thou weâ—t impatient to learn That boat belongeth to two poor men who labour on the sea to gain their subsistance I would have pierced it to preserve it to those poor men because there was an Infidell Prince who by force seized on the good vessels for his service That infant which I flew was an Idolater the son of a true believer a righteous man we
feared he might cause his father to sin and seduce him into his error and infidelity the Lord through his goodness would have him to be destroyed to deliver his father from his malice The wall appertaineth to two infant Orphans of this City there is under it a treasure that belongeth to them their father was a righteous man God through his goodness willeth that the treasure be preserved for them untill they attain to years of discretion he likewise willed me to do what I have done behold the exposition of what thou wert impatient to learn If any one enquire of thee concerning Alexander the great relate to them his History we gave him on earth what he desired he went as far as the West where he found a fountain guarded by a man who said to him O Alexander chastise men through the murther of their persons bondage and ransome he answered I will put to death unbelievers in this world and the Lord shall punish them in hell and the righteous shall enjoy the glory of Paradise I will tell the wicked that God hath given us what we have desired After this he continued his way untill he came to a place where the Sun riseth he found that it riseth in a countrey where they have nothing to shelter them from its heat the thing is so we taught Alexander how to shelter himself he followed his way untill he arrived between two mountains inhabited of a Nation that spake a Language which he could hardly understand they said to him O Alexander Jagog and Magog defile the earth canst thou put between them and us an obstacle to hinder that they may not come to us God said Alexander hath not given me means to do it but assist me with your power I will put between them and you a strong separation give me iron that can cut stones that I may build betwixt the two mountains and that I may fortifie the way that devideth them blow when the iron striketh the stones to â—indle fire and poure on mâ—lten brass to joyn the stones and iron together if they come they cannot pierce through the mountains neither find a way to come to you this is a favour which God conferreth on you his promises are infallible when the hour arriveth he is true in what hee promiseth we will permit them to mixe each with other we will assemble all of them when the Trumpet shall sound then will we open Hell to the wicked and to such as would neither see nor hear the Alcoran Do they imagine them that worship me to be their gods we have prepared hell to punish them Say unto them shall I relate unto thee what shall befall the damned their works shall be unprofitable in this world although they think to do well good works are unprofitable to them that contemn the Commandements of their Lord and believe not in the Resurrection they shall not want ballance at the day of Judgement hell shall be their habitation because they deride our Commandements and our Apostles and Prophets The righteous shall enjoy eternally the delight of Paradise without discontinuation If the sea were inke to write the wondrous works of my Lord it will sooner have an end then his miracles Say unto the Infidels I am a man like you God hath taught me that there is but one God he that believeth in the Resurrection studieth to do good works worship but one God who is without a companion CHAP. XIX The Chapter of Mary containing fourscore and eighteen Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful God is the rewarder conductor of the righteous liberall wise true Zachery the servant of thy Lord remembred his grace when he in secret prayed to his Lord and said Lord my bones are become feeble and mine head is white with old age Lord I was never rejected in my prayers hear my petition give me a son to succeed me that may be mine heir heir of the lineage of Jacob and be pleasing to thee O Zachary I declare unto thee that thou shalt have a son named John no man hath yet been called by that name he said Lord how shall I have a son my wife is barren and I am too old It was answered him the thing shall be as I have said unto thee it is easie to thy Lord who created thee he said Lord give me some signe 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 signes to the people to make their prayers evening and morning Oh John See Kitab el tenoir learn the Scripture with affection We from his infancie gave him knowledge 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 dye and the day that he shall rise again Remember thou what is written of Mary she retired towards the East into a place farre remote from her kindred and took a vaile to cover her we sent her our Spirit in forme of a man she was afraid and said God will preserve me from thee if thou have his fear before thine eyes hee said oh Mary I am the Messenger of God thy Lord who shall give thee a Sonne active and prudent She answered how shall I have a sonne 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 sonne shall be a token of the omnipotency of God and of his speciall 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 colours 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 Angell said to her afflict not thy selfe God hath placed a brook under thee shake the foot of this Palme and the Dates shall fall gather them up eat and drink and wash thine eyes say unto them that thou shalt meet that thou fastest and hast made a vow not to speak to any one untill thy 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 Aâ—ron thy father did not command thee to doe evill neither was thy mother unchaste She made signes 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 hee hath taught me the Scripture hath made me a Prophet blessed me in all places and commanded me to pray unto him hoe hath recommended to me purity through the whole course of my life and to honour my father and mother hee hath not made me either violent or malicious praysed shall be the day of my birth the day
written at Mecca Reader the Mahometans have entituled this Chapter Tthé which is two letters of the Arabique Alphabet â—o wit Tt and Hé where in this place Tt signifieth Thouba â—hat is to say Beatitude and Hâ— Haoâ—h that is to say Hell See the gloss and interpretation of Gelaldin and Bedaoâ— they have intituled this Chapter of Beatitude and of Hell IN the name of God gracious and mercifull We have not given thee the Alcoran to torment thee but to instruct therein the righteous It was sent thee by him that created the Heavens and the Earth the mercifull sitteth on his Throne whatsoever is in Heavenâ— and Earth whatsoever is between them and beneath the Earth appertaineth to him He knoweth thy thoughts he understandeth what thou keepest secret and what thou makest manifest God! there is but one God all the glorious names of the world are due unto him Knowest thou the History of Moses When he beheld the fire he said to his family Stay ye here I see a great fire I will bring to you a spark and you shall find in it the right way When he approached it was said unto him O Moses I am thy Lord put off thy shooes thou art in the holy Valley of Toy I have elected thee among my people hear my word and receive mine inspirations I am God there is none other God but I worship me alone and make thy prayers as it is ordained The hour unknown to the world approacheth wherein I will recompence and chastise every one after his works Take heed lest the wicked seduce thee from the right way if thou follow their appetite thou shalt be destroyed Is it not what thou hast sworn to me he answered Lord I will apply my selfe unto thee and will lean upon my staffe I will beat the fruits of the Trees to make them fall upon my flocks I have yet another manner to nourish my sheep with this staff I will make use of it to defend and preserve them from mischief God said unto him O Moses cast that staffe to the ground behold a Serpent it creepeth take it and be not afraid I will cause it to return to its former condition draw back thine hand and put it under thy arm it shall become white and shining without harm and pain it shall be a most certain sign of my Unity I will give thee to see the miracles of my Omnipotencie go to Pharoah he is in an exceeding great error and seduced from the right way Moses said Lord rejoyce my heart and facilitate my commission unloose the knot of my tongue that they may understand my speech give me Aaron to assist me in this business that I may praise thee and highly exalt thy glory thou only art our protector God said thy prayer is heard we were favourable to thee another time when we inspired thy mother to put thee into a coffer and expose thee to the river of Nile the water drove thee to the shore whence Pharoah took thee I caused thee to be beloved of him to have care of my people when thy sister sought tâ—dings of what was become of thee she said who will guide us where he is who will conduct us to him that keepeth him we sent thee back to thy mother to stop her tears and put an end to her affection Thou slewest a man we have delivered thee from the hands of thine enemies and have approved thy perseverance thou hast continued some time with the inhabitants of Madian after this we sent thee to preach our Commandements I have made choise of thee goe with thy brother to Pharoah and lie not in speaking of me he is gone astray from the right way speak to him both of you with mildnesse peradventure he will hearken to you and will fear the fire of hell they answered Lord wee fear that he may torment and rise up against us he said fear nothing I will be with you hear what he will say consider his actions address your selves to him and say we are the Messengers of the Omnipotent God dismiss with us the children of Israel and no more torment them we are come hither by the Commandement of God thy Lord. Salvation is for such as follow the right way damnation for them that blaspheme against his Law and depart from his Commandements Pharoah said unto them who is your God Moses said my God is he that created the world and 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 wayes 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 Are 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 the and me to come together Moses said unto him let us make choise of the day of your feast if it seem good to you the people may assemble at the Sun rising After this discourse Pharoah 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 blaspheme not against God he will punish you and destroy them that blaspheme against him The people of Pharaoh differed in opinion what they should do kept their designe secret and said to Pharoah these two men are Magicians they would chase you from your Countrey 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 staffe 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 staffe in thy right hand on the ground it shall devoure 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 Palme 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 performe thy power extendeth only in this world we believe in God our Lord who will pardon our sinnes thou art the cause that hee abhorreth us with our magick hee is more powerfull then thou and eternall Hell is prepared for Infidels they shall finde 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 slow 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 Paraoh 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 ungratefull 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 mercifull 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 Commandements 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 transgressed 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 Calfe 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 evill Aaron had said unto them before the comming of Moses O ye people you have been seduced by this Calfe the mercifull is your God and your Lord follow and obey me They said shall we abide here untill Moses returne Moses at his return said unto Aaron what hindred thee to follow me when thou sawest them to turne 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 haire I feared to displease thee if I forsook the children of Israel and disobey thy Commandements Moses said unto Samery what was thy design he answered I saw what this people seeth not I took an handfull of the earth of the footsteps of the Messenger of God and made the Figure of a Calfe the fairest that I could Moses said unto him goe get thee from among us thou shalt fly the presence of men all the dayes 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 Calfe which thou hast adored I will cause it to burne 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 doe I relate to thee things past we have sent thee the Alcoran such as shall abjure it shall beare their burthen at the day of Judgement and be eternally tormented I will one day require an account of their burden and will assemble them with all their subtilities 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 dayes 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 shall teare them up and levell them with the Earth thou shalt see them levelled and beaten downe then shall men without retardment follow him that shall summon them to universall Judgement they shall humble themselves before God thou shalt that day heare low and humble voyces that day shall prayers be ineffectuall except of them that shall be pleasing to God whom he will permit to speak He knoweth whatsoever men doe in this world and what must befall them in the other and they know it not they shall humble themselves and hang down the head before the living and eternall Lord all Infidels shall be damned and the righteous of True-believers that have done good works shall not feare injustice We have sent the Alcoran in the Arabique tongue it teacheth men our Commandements peradventure they will feare impiety it teacheth them what they ought to know Exalt the glory of God King of the world he is truth it selfe presse not thy selfe to read the Alcoran untill thou hast well understood it Say Lord encrease my knowledge We heretofore prohibited Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit he was unmindfull of our Commandement I found in him no perseverance Remember thou that we commanded the Angels to humble themselves before him they humbled themselves except the Devill who refused to doe it Remember that we said Adam the Devill is thine enemy and the enemy of thy wife he will endeavour to make you miserable to cause you both to goe out of Paradise where thou sufferest neither hunger nor thirst nor cold nor heat The Devill tempted them and said oh Adam I will conduct thee to the tree of eternity a treasure that shall never perish they did both eat of the fruit of that tree then knew they their filthinesse and took the leaves of trees to cover their nakednesse Adam disobeyed his Lord and became miserable neverthelesse he heard and pardoned him and shewed him the right way he said discend from Paradise ye enemies of each other I will hereafter send you a guide he that shall follow him shall not erre and shall be blessed He that shall goe astray and will not believe in me shall be miserable in the world and blind at the day of Judgement that day shall he say Lord wherefore hast thou made me blind I had good sight when I was in the world I did this day forget thee as thou didst forget my Commandements thus doe I intreat Infidels The torments of the other world are more grievous then those of the Earth and of longer
continuance doe not unbelievers tremble when they consider how many men upon Earth we have destroyed in past Ages Their misery shall serve for example to them that are wise Had not thy Lord said that he will deferre the punishment of the wicked untill the time appointed he had already destroyed them Be patient and endure their discourse praise thy Lord before the Sunne arise before it setteth an hour before night and at the end of day thou shalt doe a thing acceptable to him The life of the world is sweet to tempt you but the riches of thy Lord are better and eternall Command the people to make their prayers at the time appointed and be not impatient towards them I require no riches of thee I will enrich thee and in the end Paradise shall be for the righteous The unbelievers have said if Mahomet sheweth not some racle from God and knoweth not the exposition of the books of our predecessors we will not believe in him We before his comming destroyed many wicked persons who said Lord hadst thou sent us a Prophet we had observed thy Commandements before we became infamous and laden with ignominie Say unto them every one expecteth his end expect ye and ye shall one day know them that follow the right way and have not erred CHAP. XXI The Chapter of the Prophets containing an hundred and twelve Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and mercifull The day approacheth wherein the people shall render an accompt of their actions but they consider it not and depart from the Commandements of God if they heare them they laugh they understand them not and keep secret their evill intention Is not Mahomet a man like to you Will ye say that he is a Magician you see the contrary God heareth whatsoever is spoken both in Heaven and Earth and knoweth all things They say certainly Mahomet hath dreamed what he speaketh he hath invented it and is a Poet we will not believe him unless he shew some miracle as did the Prophets that were before him We have layed waste many Cities because their inhabitants were incredulous we sent before thee but men who were inspired of us Enquire of them to whom heretofore was given the knowledge of the written Law if ye know it not they were men that did eat and drink and were mortalâ— we effected what we promised to them we preserved them with such as believed and destroyed the incredulous We have sent you a Book to instruct you will ye understand it How many Infidel Cities have wee made desolate How many new people have we established in their place When they felt our punishment they fled fly not and return to what hath delighted you return into your houses peradventure ye will yet cover the riches of the Earth They said misery is upon us we are too blame Thus did they talke untill they were destroyed We have not created Heaven and Earth and whatsoever is between them to sport with had it been our will that they should have scoffed on Earth they should scoffe likewise in Heaven On the contrary I oppose the truth to falsehood to confound it and in effect it doth confound it Misery shall be upon you because of your blasphemies whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth is Gods the Angels are not ashamed to worship him they prayse him day and night and exalt his glory without blasphemie The Infidels worship Gods made of Earth Have they power to create any thing Were there in Heaven and on Earth another God they would not accord praised be God Lord of the Universe what the Infidels relate is untrue Hee asketh no counsell when he will doe any thing as do men will they worship any other God but him Say unto them produce your arguments behold what we have to speak unto you behold our reasons and those of our predecessors Certainly the greatest part of them are ignorant of the truth and goe astray We inspired into all the Prophets which we sent that there was but one God that ought to be worshipped They said believe ye that the Angels are the sonnes of God Praysed be God on the contrary they are his creatures he loveth them they speak not but after him and obey what he commandeth them he knoweth all their actions past and future they pray for no man but through his permission and feare to displease him Who among them will say I am God instead of God he shall be cast headlong into the fire of Hell thus doe I intreat unbelievers Know they not that the Heavens and the Earth were shut up We opened them and gave life to every thing through the raine which we made to descend will they not believe in my unity We created the Mountains to hinder the Earth to move we made therein wayes large and spacious for our Creatures we covered it with the Heaven and have exempted it from falling neverthelesse they despise our Commandement It is the Lord who created day and night the Moone and the Sunne all things praise and exalt him in Heaven we created no person to dwell for over on Earth all men shall taste of death I will prove you with good and evill and ye shall appeare before me to give accompt of your actions The Infidels scoffe at you when they see you and say behold them that deride our Gods They obey not the Commandements of God he created man of dust and shall shew you the effects of his omnipotency be not impatient to see the punishment of the wicked who say when shall be the day of judgement did they know it they would remove the fire from their backs and visages that day shall surprize them it shall astonish them when they thinke least of it they cannot retard it and shall be deprived of protection Certainly they scorned the Prophets that were sent before thee but they were punished after their demerits Say unto them who but the mercifull God preserveth you day and night neverthelesse yee reject his Commandements Have they any other God but me that is able to save them Their Gods cannot defend themselves I will not protect them yet will I enrich them as I enriched their fathers and will prolong their life to punish them on Earth Know they not that their estates diminish on all sides through thy Conquests Is it so that they are victorious Say unto them I preach to you what God hath inspired into me but the deafe heare not when they are exhorted When they are a little touched with the chastisements of God they say oh misery We are too blame and are unjust I will weigh their workes at the day of Judgement that I may doe injustice to no person of the weight of a grain of mustard-seed and will most exactly accompt We gave to Moses and Aaron the Book that distinguisheth good from evill and commanded them to preach our Commandements to them that had our feare before their eyes
they have don them that God is sufficiently powerfull 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 See Gelaldin 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 maner ordained pay Tythes and enjoyn to do what is honest and civill forbid to do what is prohibited of God who knoweth the end of all things If the Infidâ—ls traduce thee their predecessors traduced Noah Aâ—d Chiab Abraham and Lot they also slandred Mosâ—s 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 befalne the Infidels Their eyes are not blinde but their hearts are blinde 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 yeers before men How often hath the punishments of impiâ—us Cities been deferred that in the end were destrâ—yed 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 publikely the torments of Hell such as shall believe and do good works they shal receive pardon of their sins a precious treasure they that shall endevor to make voyd the faith shal be damned We sent our Prophet to read only our Commandments to the People the unbeleivers 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 Devill there inserted serveth for sedition to them that are weak in their faith have an heart the Infidels are in an exceeding great error are far from the Truth Such as have the knowledg of Scripture know that the Alcoran is truth it self which proceedeth from thy Lord They beleive in it and humble their heart in reading it God guideth into the right way such as beleive in the truth The Infidels shall be in doubt untill they be surprized of the day of Judgement That day shall they be rigorously chastised that day shall God command and judg the good and the bad the righteous that shall have beleived and done good works shall enter into delicious Gardens and the Infidells that shall have disobeyed his Commandments shall suffer exceeding great torments See Gelaldin They that departed from Mecca and went to Medina to abandon the society of unbeleivers and were slain or died of sicknesse shall be rewarded of his divine Majesty God is the greatest benefactor in the world he shal give them to enter where they shall desire he is omniscient most merciful The believers that shall take revenge of the injury that the unbeleivers have done them shall be protected of God He is gracious and merciful towards his people he maketh day to enter into night night into day he heareth the Prayers of True beleivers and seeth whatsoever they do and will protect them because he is truth it selfe Idols are but vanity God is most high omnipotent Dost thou not consider that God sendeth the rain from Heaven and that the earth becommeth green He is benign to his people knoweth all things whatsoever is in Heaven 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 fal upon the earth certainly he is benign and merciful He it is that hath given you life and death he shal make you to dy and shall raise you againe neverthelesse man is ingrateful for his favors We have given a Law to all the Nations of the World to guide them into the right way if they observe it they will not dispute against thee Invoke thy Lord thou art in the right way if they dispute against thee Say unto them God knoweth all your actions he shal judg your differences at the day of judgment knewest thou not that God knoweth whatsoever is in heaven or in earth All is written this is most easie to his divine Maj. Idolaters adore without reason Idols that understand not whether they be gods or no that shall be without protection at the day of Judgment when they preach to men my commandements they know by their countenance those that are impious and ingratefull for my graces they would with wrath fall upon them that instruct them Say unto them I declare unto you things more greivous God hath prepared the fire of hell to chastise Infidels O people A parable is related to you hear it All the Idolls that ye adore cannot create a flye when they shall be assembled to do it if the flies corrupt any thing that is offered to them they have not the power to drive them away because of their impotency and the weaknesse of them that adore them They praise not God in that manner as is just and reasonable he is most strong most powerfull he hath chosen messengers to bear and and execute his Commandements among Angels and men he heareth whatsoever they say beholdeth whatsoever they do he knoweth whatsoever they have don and all things obey him O ye that believe honor and worship your Lord and do good perhaps ye shall be blessed Fight for the establishment of his Law with affection he hath chosen you to follow it he hath not given you a Law heavy and troublesom It is the Law of Abraham your father he hath stiled you the Resigned to God before the coming of the Alchâ—ran The Prophet shall testifie against you at the day of judgment and ye shal testifie against the people that the Prophet hath preached to them the right way persevere in your prayers pay tithes trust in God he is your Lord your Prophet and your protector CHAP. XXIII The Chapter of True Believers containing an hundred and eighteen verses written at Mecca I the Name of God gracious and merifull Certainly the True beleivers shall be blessed that make their prayers with humility they abstain from reviling they pay tithes they commit not whoredom they touch not other women
then their own and their slaves such as covet other transgresse the bounds of reason they that faithfully preserve what hath been intrusted to them they that effect what they have promised and that make their prayers at the time appointed shall be heirs of Paradise where they shall dwell eternally We formed man of the dust of the earth with mire blood congealed with a little flesh and bones which we invested with skin we another time created him when we breathed into him the soul in the body and blessed him as one of our fairest ornaments O men ye shall all dye and shall rise again at the day of judgment we created above you seven heavens See Gelaldin and have care of the conservation of al people that are beneath we send water from heaven to satisfy your necessities we make it to fall upon the earth and have power to cause to passe away and deprive you of it We have created made gardens to bring forth Date trees Grapes many other fruits by which ye live we created trees in the mountain of Sinai that produce oyl and * Or dying Colours tincture ye receive great advantage by beasts they sustain you with milk and afford you many other proffits ye mount them and ships also carry you whither ye desire to go We sent Noah who spake to the people and said worship one God alone what other God wil ye implore but him Will ye not fear to worship another The chief among the people that were idolaters said to their adherents this man is a man like your selvs he would appear and be esteemed more then you if God would be adored alone as he saith he would cause an angel to descend that should bring his Commandments we have not heard spoken to our Predecessors what he saith he is a man possessed of the Devil tarry and ye shal see what will become of him Then Noah said Lord protect me against them and defend me from their blasphemies we commanded him to build an Ark when our commandment was given to destroy the wicked and when the water of his caldron boyled we commanded him to enter into the Ark with two beasts of every kinde and species all men we destroyed except them of whom we have before spoken we said unto him speak not to me for Infidels they shall be drowned when thou shalt have taken order for every thing that must enter into the Ark with thee Say praise be to God who hath delivered us from the malice of the wicked Lord give us to descend in a blessed place thou art the best Pilot in the world It was a sign of my omnipotency to prove the people of Noah we created after them another people to whom we sent an Apostle to instruct them to worship one God and he said what God will ye adore other then God will ye not feare his wrath Their Doctors that were impious who denyed the Resurrection of the flesh and on whom we had conferred the wealth of the Earth said he is a man he eateth and and drinketh like you if ye obey not a man like to your selves â—hall ye be destroyed doth he promise you to return into the world after having been bones and dust O abuse O abuse ye are abused in what he promiseth he is a man like otherâ— he is a lyar we will not beleive him That apostle said Lord preserve me from their blasphemyes they shal repeat suddenly of their impiety then thunder surprised them and destroyed them as they deserved we made the land dry barren without fruit created other persons in theâ—â— place Man cannot die before his hour and none can retard it we sent our Apostles and our Prophets to instruct the peopl but they were slain one after another every Nation traduced the Prophet that we sent to them and we made them serve for examples to posterity and destroyed the wicked We sent Moses and his brother Aaron to Pharoah and his Doctors with our miracles and with most intelligible reasons they arose against the Faith they tormented the children of Israel and said shall we believe in a man like to our selves of them that obey us They slandred both of them and were in the number of the damned We gave to Moses the Book of the Law peradventure it wil guide the children of Israel into the right way we created Jesus Mary his mother they are signs of our Unity we established them in an eminent place where they stayed neere a fountaine O Apostles and Prophets eat of the frurts of the earth do good I know whatsoever ye do your Law is one law I alone am your Lord take heed to your selvs follow not the law of the Infidels every one liketh what he doth depart froÌ„ the wicked leave them in their errors an accompt shal be required of theÌ„ of the riches of the children that we have given them but they know it not Such as fear the punishment of their Lord that obey his Commandements profes his unity give Alms of the substance that he hath given them and feare in their hearts that they are not acceptable to them shall appear in his presence such as shall obey him shall enjoy his grace he requireth not of any man what he is unable to performe We have a booke that declareth the truth no injustice shall be done to him that shall doe what he is able certainly the Infidels are in ignorance of the Alcoran they act what is quite contrary to that which is commanded true believers but we have punished the chief among them in their prosperity Be not this day resolute ye shall not be protected of us Our Commandments are taught you neverthelesse ye are returned upon your steps and are risen against the Faith and in discoursing by night withdrew your selvs from the righteous Consider they not the words of the Alcoran â—oth it contain any thing that hath not bin ordained to their predecessors know they not the Prophet that God hath sent to them Wherefore will they not acknowledg him Will they say that he is possessed of the devil On the contrary he reacheth them the truth neverthelesse the greatest part of them detest him if their will had place heaven and earth whatsoever is betwixt them should be confounded we have instructed them in the Law which they ought to observe but they have renounced it Dost thou require of them any recompence for thy instructions Thy Lord shall reward thee there is none that is of power to recompence thee better then He. Call them to the right way such as shall not believe the Resurrection shall err If we pardon and deliver them from affliction they will still continue in their errors to their confusion we heretofore chastised them neverthelesse they humble not themselves neither implored their Lord and when we opened upon them the gate of our Judgements they became desperate God hath
sufficeth thee that God guideth and protecteth thee The Infidels have demaâ—ded it the Alcoran was sent all at once I have so done to confirme the truth in thy heart I have sent it piece by piece they shall not shew thee any thing like unto it I have instructed thee in the truth clear and intelligible the incredulous shall be confined in the fire of Hell and be most miserable Certainly We gave to Moses the book of the Law we sent with him hiâ— brother Aaron to assist him and said unto them Goe boâ—h of you pâ—each unto Infidells we will destroy them unless they be converted When the people of Noah despised our Commandment we drowned them and made them sure for example to posterity and prepared great torments for the impious Remember Aad Tâ—mod and those that dwelt nigh unto the well a long time afâ—er them we spake to them in parables and destroyed them Oh ye wicked consider the misery of tâ—e City upon which fell that mischievous rain that destroyed them because the Inhabitants believed not in the Resurrection When the Infidels saw thee appear they dâ—â—ided thee and said This Prophet would seduce us and make us to abandon our God We had patience and deferred our punishment they shall know at the day of Judgement them that have bin seduced Hast thou considered the action of him that spake of his God after his fantasie Wert thou his Tutor to hinder him to speak Dost thou believe that the greatest part of the wicked heare and understand what thou speakest to them They are like beasts and worse Seest thou how thy Lord sheddeth the Rose were it his will it should be permanent the Sun hath caused it to melt and attracteth it gently to himself He it is that created the night for repose and the day for labour He it is that sendeth the winds by his special grace he maketh rain to descend from Heaven to refresh the Earth to give it life to water the beasts and for the contentment of men we have divided it among them that they may be mindful of our grace nevertheless the greatest part of them are ungratefull Had we so pleased we had sent to every City a Preacher to preach unto the Inhabitants the torments of hell obey not Infidels preach to them frequently what is written in the Alcoran It is God that hath sweetned the water of Euphrates that joyned the two Seas that made them faâ—t and put between them a separation to hinder them to mix He created man and woman of a little water to increase multiply together thy Lord can do whatsoever him pleaseth yet do the Infidels adore what can neither henâ— fit nor hurt them and assist the Devil their master to tempt the world We sent thee only to prâ—ach the torments of hel to proclaime the joyes of Paradise Say unto them I require not of you a reward for my preaching he that shall be acceptable to God will follow the way of his Law Praise and exalt thy Lord trust in him he knoweth all the sins of men he created the heavens and the earth in six days and sitteth on his Throne learn this of him that knoweth it When it wâ—s sâ—id to the Infidels worship the merciful God they sâ—id what merciful shal we worshipp what ye appoint us and they added to their impiety Blessed be he that created the signs of heaven that created the Sun and the Moon ful of brightnesse light and hath made the days to succeed each other to returne him thanks for his graces The servants of the mercifull that walk with humility that salute the ignorant when they speak to them Such as pray to worship God day and night such as say Lord deliver us from the torment of hell those that fear God that are not prodigall nor covetous that folow the middle way betwixt prodigality and avarice those that worship one God that kill no man but with reason and following the Commandments of God and that are not luxurious shall injoy eternally the grace of God such as do the contrary shal be chastised their punishment shall be augmented at the day of Iudgment and they shall be damned for ever except him that shal be converted and shall have don good works God shal give him pardon of his sins he is gratious and mercifull They who do good works and repent who make no false Oâ—th who are humble and are not wilfully deaf dumbe when they heare the Alcoran read and say Lord give us and our posterity children that may be the light of our eyes and be obedient to thee work in us a fear to disobey thy Commandements such persons shall enjoy eternally the delights of Paradise for reward of their perseverance they shal there find salutations and benedictions with immense graces Say unto the wicked God will not enlighten you neither hearken to your prayers because yee have traduced his Prophet the time of the punishment of your câ—imes 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 mercifull 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 discend upon them that shall humble them they dispise my Commandments they scoffe but shall be rigorusly punished see they not how many fruits we have made to spring out of the earth It is a token of our omnipotencie nevertheless the greatest part of them believe not that thy Lord is the omnipotent 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 slew an Egyptian Moses said Lord I fear they may traduce me and that my tongue cannot be loosed send with me my brother Aaâ—on 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 wil be with you will hear what they say say to Pharoah that ye are the Mâ—ssengers of the Lord of the world and let him dismiss with you the children of Israel Pharaoh said unto Moses have I not seen thee within this house a little childe Didst thou not dwell with us many years Didst 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 evill that thou dost commit in causing thy selfe to be adored of the children of Israel Pharoah said unto him who is that God of the
world he answered it iâ— 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 Messâ—â—ger 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 Pharoah said unto him bring thy reasons if thou art true Then he cast his staffe on the ground and it was changed into a Serpent he drew hiâ— 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 skilfull Magician he would drive you from your Countrey 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 Pharaoh said unto them yes ye shall be rewarded and be among them that approach my person Moses said unto them wil you cast your staves on the ground or shal I first cast mine They cast thâ—ir cords â—heir staves first saying with the assistance of Phaâ—aoh we shall be victorious then Moses cast his rod on the ground wâ—h devoured their cords staves when they beheld this miracle they fel prostra and said we beleive in the Lord of the world God of Moses and Aaron Pharoah said to them if ye beleive in Moses without my permission ye shall see what shall befall 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 shal return before God our Lord we hope that he wil remit our sinâ— because we shal be the first converts We said unto Moses goe with 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 Israell those men are few in number they have displeased me but I will wel 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 fountaines and houses of pleasure and made the children of Israel heirs of their treaâ—ure they surprized them at the rising of the Sun when the children of Israel beheld them they said we are ovâ—taken 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 with him and drowned the men of Pharoah which shall serve for an example to the incredulous and obstinate the Lord is omnipotent and mercifull Relate to unbeleivers 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 do good unto you when ye worship them or mischeif 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 worshipp 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 do dye and from whom I hope for pardon of my sins at the day of Judgement 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 bin 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 uâ—profitable 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 with you their adherents and the devils thrown headlong into the fire of hell The Idolaters shall despute in hell with them whom they have worshipped and shall say by God we were abuâ—ed when we adored you the wicked seduced us we have none this day to intercede for us neither friend to protect us could we return into the world we would believe in the Law of God this discourse shall be for example to the wicked that believe not that thy Lord is the Omnipotent and mercifull The people of Noahs time slandered the Apostles and Prophets that were sent to them Nâ—ah thâ—ir brother said unto them fear God I am his Messenger sent to preach unto you fear God and obey him I â—equiâ—e no recompence for my Instructions God the sole Lord of the world shall reward my labours fear and obey him They said shall we believe in thee and thy followers who are infamous He said I know not what they do my Lord kâ—epeth accompt of their actions if ye knew â—he right way ye would not worship Idolls I drive not true believers from my society I am sent only to preach the torments of Hell They said O Noah if thou quit not this discourse thou shalt be stoned Noah said Lord this people is impious judge our difference deliver me from their malice and all true believers that are with me We preserved him and those that were with him in the Aâ—k and destroyed them that remained on the Earth This is an Evidence of our Omnipotency yet the greatest part of Infidels believe not that God is omnipotent and mercifull The people of Aads time traduced the Apostles and Prophets that were sent unto them Hod his brother said unto them fear God I am his Messenger sent to preach unto you with fidelity Fear God and obey him I require of you no recompense of my preaching the Lord of the Universe shall abundantly reward me Will ye build Towers and lofty Pallaces as if ye should dwel eternaly in the world Will ye be cruel without compassion on your selvs fear God and obey him fear him who giveth you his grace
each others veiw will yee love men more then women ye are ignorant They replyed Let us drive Lot and his family out of our City they defile not themselvs like us we preserved him with all his family except his wifâ— she remained among them that were chastised We caused it to rain upon them a rain that gave them to know the severity of our chastisements Say unto them praised be God that destroyeth the wicked and salvation to all those who he hath chosen are they not more happy then such as beleive there are many Gods who created the Heavens the earth who caused rain to fal from heaven who hath made many delicious gardens to bring forâ—h you have not the power to cause the plants to spring forth without the assistance of God certainly unbeleivers do erre froÌ„ the right way Who hath established the earth made the rivers to flow who hath made heavy the mountains who but God hath put separation that is between the Seas The greatest part of the world know it not Who rendreth men miserable who delivereth them from affliction when they invoke him who hath caused you to multiply and leave your posterity on Earth but God Neverthelesse few men give him thanks Who guideth in the darknesse of the Earth and Sea who but God sendeth the windes the forerunners of raine he is most high and mâ—st powerfull but the wicked will not consider the effects of his omnipotency Who formeth men who maketh them to live dye and rise again who enricheth them with the wealth of Heaven and of Earth but God Say unto them produce your reasons bring your arguments if what ye alleadg be true Say unto them none but God knoweth what is in Heaven and Earth no man knoweth the future present and past do men know the day of the Resurrection Contrarywise they doubt and are blind The wicked have said what we shall be dust as are our fathers and shall come forth out of our Graves This was heretofore promised to our fathers and to us this is but a fable of old men Tell them that they consider not what was heretofore the end of the wicked afflict not thy selfe for that they conspire against thee and that they demand at what time they shall see the punishment that is foretold them Say unto them it is not farre from you â—e throw your selves headlong into it but God is pitifull towards his people neverthelesse the greatest part give him no thanks for his grace thy Lord knoweth what is in their heart and whatsoever they speak there is nothing in Heaven or Earth that is not written in a most intelâ—igible Book the Aâ—coran explaineth to the children of Israel the greatest part of their difficulties it will guide them into the right way deliver from Hell them that shall believe thee thâ— Lord shâ—ll judge them at the day of Judgment he is omnipotent and wise Trust thou in God thou art in the way of truth the dead and deafe shall not heare thee and unbelievers shall depart from tâ—ee pensive and astonished thou oughtest not to guide the blinde neither to make the deaf to hâ—ar except such as shall believe in the Alcoran and be obedient when the time of the punishment that is denounced against them shall be come we wil cause a Beast to com from under the earth that shal speak unto them and shall say The people beleive not in the Law of Gâ—d they know not his wondrous works Be thou mindfull of the day when I will assemble a multitude of all Nations that have disobeyed my Commandments to give accompt of their actions I wil say unto them ye have traduced my prophets ye know not what ye said what hove ye done Then shall they be punished for their sins and be inexcusable they shall not speak a word Do not infidels see that we have created the night for rest and the day for travel this is a sign of my Omnipotency Be thou mindfull of the day wherein the Angell shall sound the Trumpet and whatsoever is in Heaven or Earth shall tremble with fear except such as shall be in the favour of God that day shalt thou see the Mountains suspended to move like the Clouds this shall be a work of God who created all things and knoweth their end He that shall have done good works shall be rewarded he shall be without fear and they that had don evil shall remain in the fire of Hel It shall be said unto them are ye no chastised according to your demerits Say unto the people I command you to worship the Lord of this priviledged * Mecca See Gelaldin City al things appertain to him I command you to believe in the unity of his divine Maj. and to study the Alcoran who so doth good shal find good Say unto them that shall be seduced I am sent only to preach the torments of Hel. Say to true-believers praysed be God that hath given you to see his Miracles and hath given you knowledge of the right way thy Lord is not ignorant of what they do CHAP. XXVIII The Chapter of History containing foure score and eight Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful God is most pure he understandeth all things and is most wise These mysteries are the mysteries of the Book that distinguisheth the truth from a lye I relate to thee the history of Moses and of Pharoah with truth for the contentment of True-beleivers Pharoah was powerfull on Earth he entreated his Subjects as seemed good to him he tormented ted one party and murthered their Children he abused their wives and was of them that defiled the Earth I gave my grace to theÌ„ that were afflicted on earth I made them successors of Pharoahs Kingdom I established them in his Dominions I made Pharoah Haman and their Army to see what they most feared we said to the mother of Moses give suck to thy Child if thou fearest that they will mischief him cast him upon Nile fear not neither afflict thy self I will restore him to thee between thine arms and place him in the number of Prophets The domestiques of Pharoah found him upon the water saved him to be one day their enemy to tormenâ— them because Pharoah Haman and their people were Infidels Pharoahs wife said unto him I entreat thee not to suffer this Infant to be slain mine eyes rejoyce to see him he shall one day be proffitable for our service as our Son but they were ignorant of what should befall them the heart of his mother was freed from fear when she beheld him in the hands of Pharoah's wife and scarce could she refrain to let them know that she was his mother we caused her to have patience and she had faith in our promises She spaâ—e to his sister to follow him step by step she followed afar off without intimation that she was his sister or that she regarded him We
had before prohibited Moses to suck the milk of any other nurse then that of his mother his sister said to Pharoahs servant wil ye that I provide you a nurse and people that shall carefully nourish him We caused him to be restored to his mother to nurse him she ceased from her sadness when she knew and saw that God was sincere in what he had promised but the greatest part of the people know it not When Moses was aged about thirty three years we gave him knowledge and wisdom thus do I reward the righteous Moses entring one day into the City met two men that fought the one was of the Children of Israel and the other was an Egyptian and of his enemies whom he assaulted and slew after this he said the Devil tempted me he is the open enemy of men Lord I have offended thee pardon me he pardoned him he is gracious and mercifull Lord since thou hast bin so gracious to me I will never give aid or succour to Infidels He continued in the City with fear and kept himself upon his guard on the morâ—ow he again met him whom the day before he had defended who sought likewise â—ith another Egyptian required his assistance Moses said unto him thou art seditious he replyed oh Moses wilt thou slay me as thou didst slay him yesterday Wilt thou be a murtherer of all men or a just man Not long after a man came in hast to him from the utmost part of the City who said unto him oh Moses the Officers of Pharoah have conspired against thee they desire to put thee to death save thy self and follow my councell He departed from the City with fear keeping himself upon his guard beseeching his Lord to deliver him from the hands of Infidels he went towards Mâ—adian and said Lord suffer me not to folow an evil way he met a great number of persons that made their flocks to drink he with them found 2 maids that could not water their Cattel he said unto them what do ye two here VVe have not strength to draw water to give our beasts to drink we tarry for the Shepheard our father is too old to draw it He drew water out of the well to water their Cattell and withdrew to a shade because of the heat of the Sunne saying Lord I am deprived of all the graces which heretofore then didst confer on me I â—m now poor and necâ—ssâ—â—â—us One of those maidens came to seek him bashfully said unto him my father calleth thee to recompence thee for the pains thou hast taken in watering our catle when he was in the old mans presence he related what had befaln him The old man said fear nothing I wil deliver thee from the hands of the wicked one of his daughters said to her sister give to this man to eat reward his pains he assisted us with affection their father said unto him I wil marry thee to one of my two daughters on condition that thou wilt have a care of my flocks the space of eight years ten years if it please thee said Moses I will not forsake thee thou shalt find me an honest man I wil serve thee the two terms either 8. or 10. yeares as shall seem good to thee God is witnesse of what I say After the term expired Moses forsook the house of his father in law withdrawing with his wife he beheld affar off a great fire on the side of the mountain and said to his Wife tarry here I see the fire of the omnipotent I will speedily return I will bring you a spark peradventure you shall be warmed when he drew near to this fire they cryed unto him from the right side of the valley from an eminent place and from a bush O Moses I am God Lord of the Universe cast thy staffe on the ground when he beheld his staffe to move as it had bin alive he fled for fear and returned no more O Moses draw near and fear not thou art in a place of safety put tâ—ine hand into thy pocket it shall come out white shining without harm draw back thine arm into thy sleeve it shall return to its former condition thy staffe and thine hand shall be two signs of my Omnipotency to Pharoah and his Ministers who disobey my Commandments Moses said Lord I have sâ—ain an Egyptian I am afraid they will take away my life command Aaron who is eloquent to go with me to aid me to confirm what I shal say I fâ—ar they wil traduce me I wil give thee thy Brother for thy assistant I wil give to you both strength to defend your selvs from their malice go do what is commanded you ye shall be victorious and all those that shal follow you when Moses came to Pharoah he made him to see my miracles preached my Commandments to his Ministers they said this is buâ— magick and witchcraft we have not heard these things to have bin spoken to our predecessors Moses said the Lord knoweth him that teacheth the right way and him that ought to have part in Paradise Infidels shall be most miserable Pharoah said to his Ministers do ye know any other God but me O Haman let me offer sacrifices and build a Temple shal I deceive myself with the God of Moses I believe him to be in the number of lyars He bâ—came proud on earth with his Ministers they bâ—lieved that they should never be assembled before me to be judged we surprized him with his people and caused him to perish in the Sea consider what is the end of unbelievers we abandoned them and they are in the number of the condemned to the fire of hell They shall finde none to protect them â—t 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 destructâ—on 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 we created another age after him thou didst not at that time dwell with the Inhabitants of Madian neither didst thou â—each them our Commandments it is we that have instructed thee in the History of past ages thou wert not on the mountain when when 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 seÌ„t us an Apostl to instruct us we should have obeyed thy commandments have believed in thy Law when on our part they were instructed in the truth they said doth Mahomeâ— work miracles like Moses do they not traduce what Moses did when they say that Moses
created for men all that is in heaven and earth and conferreth on them his graces in generall and particular There be ignorant persons that dispute of the Diety without reason when it is said unto them do what God hath appointed they answer we will do what we saw don by our fathers They consider not that the devill calleth them their fathers to the pains of Hel he that obeyeth God doth good works fastneth him to the strongest knot will have a care of him at the hour of his end The impiety of the wicked ought not to afflict thee they shal be one day assembled in our presence to be chastised I will shew them all that they have don I know what is in the hearts of men I will prolong a while their punishment upon earth and precipitate them in the other world into the fire of hell Hast thou not damanded of them who created heaven and earth they said it is God say unto them therefore 〈…〉 be God nevertheless the greatest part of them are ignorant Whatsoever is in heaven Earth is Gods he hath no want of the world praise is due unto him in all that he doth if all the Trees of the world were Pens and the Sea Ink they could not comprehend the effect of his Omnipotency he is Omnipotent and knoweth all things He created and shall make you to rise again with one word he understandeth and seeth all things Consider they not that God causeth the night to enter into the day and the day into the night that he created the Sun and the Moon that move in the heaven until the day appointed he knoweth whatsoever ye do because he is truly God they that invoke other then him invoke things vain and unprofitable God alone is most high and most mighty Seest thou not how the ship runneth upon the water for a token of his Omnipotency to such as acknowledg his graces When the Wars arose against the Infidels many called upon God with resolution to follow his Law when he saved them on the Land some persevered to do well and others returned to their impiety none but deceivers and ingratfull persons despise his Commandments O people fear God and the day when the father shall not be able to succour his child neither the child serve his father Gods promises are infallible be not proud of your riches neither that God tolerateth and suffereth you he knoweth the time when ye shall be chastised the hour that the rain shall fall upon the earth he knoweth what is in the wombs of women whether it be male or female none but God knoweth what thou wilt â—o to morrow none but he knoweth the place where thou shalt die he knoweth all he knoweth all CHAP. XXXII The Chapter of Worship containing an hundred and thirty Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and mercifull I am the most wise God Dâ—ubtless this book was sent by the lord of the Vniverse will the wicked say that thou hast invented it On the contrary it is the truth it self which proceedeth from thy Lord to preach to them that heretofore had none to instruct them peradventure they will follow the right way God created heaven and earth and all that is between them in six dayes and sitteth on his Throne who shall protect you who shall hear your prayers but he will you never consider it He disposeth all things in heaven and earth all men shall one day be assembled before him to be judged a thousand years are but one day before his divine Majesty he knoweth what is past present and future he is omnipotent merciful he hath created every thing for his people he formed man of the dirt and dust of the earth he inspired the soul into his body he giveth you hearing sight sense but few men return him thanks for his graces they say what shall we die and return to be a new people Certainly they beleive not in the Resurrection Say unto them the Angel of death shall cause you to dye and ye shall return before God to be judged Thou shalt then see how the Infidel will hang downe the head before their Lord and say Lord we now see the certainty of the Resurrection we this day know the truth of thy words permit us to reurn into the world we will be righteous we now understand what is profitable necessary for us we could have given a guide to every person my word is most true I will fill hell with the wicked Paradise with the righteous thus shal men be rewarded chastised according to their works Tast o ye wicked the pains that ye have deserved in refusing to beleive in this day w ch ye have found we leave you in the miseries du to your incredulity tast the eternall torments that ye have merited through your impiety Such as believe in the mysteries of my Law are humble they worship me alone praise me when they here mention of me they are not proud rebell not against my Commandments they arise from their bed to make their prayers with fear and hope and imploy in pious works some part of the wealth that we have given them No man hath either seen or knoweth what God reserveth to recompence the righteous for their perseverance The believers and unbelievers shall not be alike entreated the believers that have don good works shall enjoy Paradise as the reward of their labours and the unbelievers shall be precipitaâ—ed into the fire of hell the more they shall labour to get out the further shall they enter into it it shall be said to them tast the pains of eternall flames which ye would not believe I will make the wicked to tast of the torments of the world and the pains of hell if they be not converted Who is more unjust then he that knoweth the Commandments of his Lord and disobeyeth them we will be avenged on his impiety we gave a most true Book to Moses to instruct the children of Israel we put into the right way those among them that persevered in their faith and obeyed our Commandments Thy Lord shall judge the difficulties of the Infidels at the day of Judgment see they not how much people we destroyed in times past that reposed confidence in their houses It is a token of our Omnipotency will they never understand it See they not how I thrust forth water in desert and barren lands that I cause herbs to spring forth for the nourishment of men beasts will they never consider it They demand when will the day of Judgement come Say unto them that daâ— shall not bring contentment to Infidels and they shall be without protection Depart thou far from them perseveere and attend they wait an occasion to mischief thee but thou shalt see them chastised CHAP. XXXIII The Chapter of Bands and Troups of Souldiers containing fourscore and seven Verses written at Medina IN the name of
fear God thou concealest in thy mind a design whiâ—â— God shal discover thou fearest the people but it is thy 〈◊〉 to fear God alone When Zeid did repudiat his wife we â—â—ryed thee to her to the end their might remain no error â—mong the True-belelevers when they shall repudiate thâ— wives they shal observe in repudiating them what God haâ— ordained The Prophet sins not in doing what God haâ— permitted the law of God was in this maner observed by 〈◊〉 predecessors the command of his divine Maj. is execuâ—â—â— without delay Such as preach the word of God his Apostâ—â— and Prophets fear none but his Divine Majesty it suffice them that they are in his protection Mahomet is not yoâ— father He is not the father of Zeid to espouse the wife which he put away he is the Apostle of God and the last of all the Prâ—phets God knoweth all things there shall not come anâ—ther Prophet after him Oh ye that beleive in Goâ— thiâ— frequently on his divine Majesty praise him morning anâ— evening he shall give you his mercy the Angels imploâ— pardon that he may deliver from darkness he is mercifâ—â— to true beleivers the Angels shall salute them on his behaâ—â— at the day of Judgment See Tefsianf Joâ—hir he hath prepared for them an exceeding great reward Oh Prophet we have sent thee to be witnesse of thâ— deportments of the People and as a light to conduct them into the right way proclaim to the True-beleivers thaâ— they shall receive of thy Lord an exceeding great grace obey not Infidels nor the wicked fear not their malice and trust in God thou oughtest to be satisfyed that God protecteth thee O ye that beleive it is not lawfull for you to abuse your Wives if you repudiate them before ye have â—nown them deal well with them and dismisse them with â—ildnesse and civility O Prophet we permit thee to know â—he women to whom thou hast given dowry the women-â—laves which God hath given thee the daughters of thine Vncles and of thine Aunts that have abandoned with â—hee the company of the wicked and the true beleiving wife that shall be given thee if thou wilt marry her that she be not the wife of a true-beleiver We know what wâ— have commanded true beleivers touching their wives and their slaves we have instructed thee therein to the end thou offend not God he is gracious and merciful to such as obey him Thou shalt retain whom of thy wives thou shalt desire to retain and shalt repudiate such as thou shalt desire to repudiate and shalt lye with them that shall please thee it is better that thou repudiate without offending God then to see them male contented and sad they shall be contented with the good that thou shalt do to them in divorcing them God knoweth what is in your hearts he is Omniscient and most merciful Mahomet had nine wives It is not lawfull for thee to know other women then thine own it is not lawful for thee to exchange them although the beaty of others please thee except thy slaves See Gelaldin God regardeth all O yâ—â—hat beleive I enter not into the houses of the prophet withouâ— permission except at the hour of repast that by chance without design if ye are invited enter with freedome when ye shall have taken your repast depart out of the house and tarry not to discourse one with another this molesteth the Prophet he is ashamed to bid you be gone but God is not ashamed to tell you the truth The wives of the prophet shal have the face coverd when ye speak shall unto them this better resented of purity both in them and in you You ought not to importune the Prophet of God neither to know his wives this would be a most enormous sin if ye conceal any design or discover it know that God knoweth all They shall not offend God in suffering themselvs to be seen of their fathers their children their brethren their nephews their maid servants their she-slaves they shall fear God he seeth all God and the angels * Bless thâ— Prophet pray for the Prophet O ye that beleive See Gelaldin pray for the Prophet and obey him He that shall displeâ— God and his Prophet shall be accursed in this world anâ— shall feel rigorous pains in the other such as do injurâ— without reason to those men and women that believe iâ— God commit an exceeding great sin O Prophet speaâ— to thy wives and thy daughters and the wives of true-believers that they cover themselves with vailes they shaâ—â— be more honored and shall receive no displeasure God iâ— gracious and mercifull If the wicked the whoremongers and those of Medina that are weak in their faith quit noâ— their impiety I will give thâ—e absolute power over them few among them will respect thee but take thou them and slay them wheresoever thou shalt meet them God so commanded those that were before thee thou shalt finde no alteration in the Law of God The people will enquire of thee when shall be the day of Iudgment Say unto them that God alone knoweth it and that thou knowest not if it shall bâ— very speedily but that God hath prepared for Infidells an exceeding great fire wherein they shall burn eternally hey shall finde no protection they shall be cast headlong into the fire and shall say would to God we had obeyed his divine Majesty and the Prophet his Apostle they shall say Lord we obeyed our Masters and Superiors they seduced us from the right way Lord chastise them doubly and give them thy curse O ye that believe be not like them that displeased Moses he was innocent of the crimes that they laid upon him he was inspired of God fear God and speak with civility your works shall be acceptable to him and he shall pardon your sins He that shall obey God and his Apostle shall be happy fidelity and obedience are pleasing to him in heaven and in earth and upon the mountains Such as depart far from him as did Adam do injury to themselves and are ignorant he shall chastise those men and women that shall be disobedient and impious he will give his grace to those men and women that shall believe in his Law he is gracious and mercifull to them that obey him CHAP. XXXIV The Chapter of * Saba is a Province of Liemen Saba containing fifty four Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful See Gelaldin Praised be God whatsoever is in heaven in the earth appertaineth to him praise is due unto him he is most wise and Omniscient he knoweth whatsoever entreth into the earth and cometh out of it whatsoever ascendeth to heaven descendeth he is gracious and mercifull to his creatures the wicked demand if they shall see the day of judgment Say unto them yes and that thy Lord knoweth the time he knoweth what
is past present and future and all that is in heaven and in the earth even to the weight of an Atome what is yet lesse and what is yet greater then an Atome is written in a book that discovereth every thing he shall reward the true-beleivers that have don good works he shall give them his mercy and enrich them with precious treasures such as have endeavoured to suppresse his Law shall feel the effects of his indignation They that understand the Scripture know that God hath taught thee the very truth to guide the people into the right way into the path of honour and vertue but the wicked said among them will ye beleive a man who affirmeth that after your death ye shall rise again and be new creatures he lyeth impudently he is possessed of the devill Certainly they that beleive not in the Resurrection are in an exceeding great error and shall suffer most greivous pains see they not what is above and what is below them Consider they not the heaven and the earth If I will I can render it barren and cause a peice of the heaven to fall upon them for a signe of my Omnipotency We gave our grace to David and spake to the mountains birds and mettals with him to praise me we commanded him to make cuirasses Iron was soft in his hand as wax O lineage of David I be not ingrateful I see whatsoever ye do we made the winds subject to Solomon he commanded them evening morning from the East to the West we gave him a fountain and brook of dissolved brass the devils through our permission wrought it to his minde and we punished in the fire oâ— hell such as refused to obey him They built for him lost palaces and * Depein piâ—d spacious houses they formed basons foâ— water chanels and pools we said unto him O lineage oâ— David be not ingrateful for my graces for that few persons do acknowledg them When he dyed through ouâ— Commandment nothing discovered his death to the devils buâ— the wormes that had eaten the end of his staffâ— whereon he leaned when the devils saw him fall they perceived that had they known the future and what was hâ— from them they should not have laboured so long a timâ— in his service The Inhabitants of Saba have a mark of mâ— Omnipotency in their Countrey viz. two gardens the one on the North side and the other towards the South iâ— was said unto them eat of the good things that your Lord hath given you and return him thanks their Country is delicious God hath been merciful towards them neverthelesse they are ingrateful and impious we sent the river oâ— Arem that overflowed their gardens we changed them into two gardens of thorns of Cyprus and a little * An Judian Date Tamarinde thus did we punish them because of their impiety We established a way with many cities for facility of commerce among them See Gelaldin and the City which we blessed and spake unto the people to follow that way night and day with safety and without fear They said God destroyeth us through the length of this way they returned to their impiety and we dispersed them upon the earth to serve for example to posterity and instruction to such as persevere in my Law and acknowledg my graces The devill caused them to believe his opinion they followed him except some of the true believers that were among them he had no power over them but to know them that believed in the Resurrection and such as doubt Thy Lord observeth and regardeth all Say unto them invoke your Idols they have not power of the bigness of an Atome neither in heaven nor earth God hath no companion they shall find none to protect them at the day of Iudgment none shall intercede for them without the permission of his divine Majesty if they receive any relaxation in their fear they enquire of each other what God spake answer that he spake the truth that he is most high and most mighty Say unto them who enricheth you with the good things of heaven and earth they will say that it is God Say unto them who of you or of us followeth the right way Or who of you or of us is seduced Enquire not after our sins we are not curious to know what ye do God shall assemble us at the day of Judgment and shall judge our differences with equity he iâ— an exceeding great Judge say unto them let us see the Idols that ye have worshiped certainly there is but one God omnipotent and wise We have not sent thee but to declare to men the joyes of Paradise and to preach to them the pains of hell but the greatest part knoweth it not they aske in what time they shall see the punishment that is preached to them and if thou speakest the truth say unto them when the time thereof is come ye shall not be able to retard or advance an hour they have said that they will not beleive in the Alcoran but thou shalt see them one day assembled in the presence of thy Lord thou shalt see that they shall accuse one another the poorâ— shall say unto â—he rich you have hindred us to obey the Commandments of God they shall answer have we seduced you from the way that was taught you On the contrary you were wicked and malicious they shall say on the contrary you employed night and day your Artifices to render us ingratfull for the graces of God and to induce us to believe that he hath companions equal to him they shall repent of their sins when they shall see their punishment we will lay chains upon their necks and they shall be chastised after their demerits The chief Inhabitants of the Cities said to the Prophets that we sent to them to preach the torments of hell that they believe not their words We have said they more riches and more children then those that believe in their discourse we shall not be damned as they affirm Say unto them my Lord giveth and taketh away riches as seemeth good to him but the greatest part of the people know it not your wealth and your children shall not give you accesse to God such as shall performe good works shall be rewarded and shall live eternally in the delights of Paradise they that sâ—all endeavour to suppress our Law shall be cast headlong into the fire of Hell Say unto them my Lord giveth and taketh away wealth as to him seemeth good he maketh vain the alms which ye shall give if ye observe not his Law he is the rich of the rich Be thou mindfull of the day when I shall assemble the Idolaters and shall say to the Angels behold them who have adored you they shall say praised be God thou alone art our Master and protector they adored not us they worshipped the devill the greatest part of them beleived in his word this day they are
flow they eat of the fruits which are not the works of their hands will they not acknowledg the works of their Lord Praise is due to hâ—m that created the male and the female of all plants that the Earth produceth who created man and woman and many other things of which they have no knowledg It is a sign of my omnipotency to seperate the day from the night to make the Sunne to run to his appointed place We have appointed to the Moon her signes she goeth and commeth alwayes through her old way the Sun neither hasteneth nor retardeth his course at any time neither doth joyn himself by night to the Moon the night cometh not untill the end of the day And all to wit the Moon the Sun and the Stars exalt my glory in the Heaven it is a mark of mine omnipotency to have born their Fathers upon the waters in the Ark and to have given them vessels like the Ark to bear them had it pleased me I had caused them to be drowned without succor and salvation I saved them through my special grace until the time appointed The wicked despise the signs of Gods omnipotency and scoffed when they were required to fear the wrath of his divine Majesty present and to come and that their iniquities shall be forgiven them When it was said unto them give almes of the wealth that God hath given you they answered shall I give him to eat to whom God shall give bread when it shall please him They are in a very great error They will enquire of you when the day of Judgement shall be and if ye beleive it tel them that they must expect but one sole voice that shall surprise them they shall quarrell they shall not be able to make their Testament neither return to see their parents in the end they shall go out of their Sepulcheâ—â— and present themselves before God when the Trumpet shall sound Then shal they say we are most miserable to have departed from our graves behold what God hath promised us The Prophets spake to us the Truth viz. That the world ought to expect but one voice This day shall all men be assembled before their Lord no injustice shall be done to any person and every one shall be rewarded chastised after his works Such as shall go into Paradise shall be in exceeding great repose with alâ— manner of contentment they and their wives shall be safe from all evills lying on delicious beds they shall have all sorts of fruits and whatsoever they shall desire they shall be saluted on the behalf of the Lord gracious and mercifull God shall say to the wicked at the day of Judgment Depart yee this day from the company of the good did I not forbid you to worship the Devill your open enemy but to worship me alone and that it was the right way Did I not tell you that the Devill seduced a multitude of the people Ye would not beleive it behold Hell that is prepared for you through your incredulity I will shut their mouth their hand shall speak and their feet shall be witnesses of their crimes If we wil we can make the Infidels blind they shall find no way they shall not be able to go or come and shall be succored of none had it been our pleasure we could have transformed them in their houses and they had not been able to go forth I will cast their head against the ground and will render them infamous whose life I shall prolong and they shall not know their errors We have not made them to understand the mysteries of the Alcoran but that was not necessary it is but to preach to the living who comprehend what is spoken to them it is most true that the wicked shall be punished See they not that we alone have created all the beasts of the earth over which they command We have made them subject to them Some serve them to ride on and others for their nourishment will they be ingratfull Neverthelesse they have worshipped Idols they adored what could not deliver them from the pains of Hell Afflict not thy selfe at their discourse I know whatsoever they say and all that they keep secret in their souls Doth not man consider that we created him of dust And that he is to arogant God hath taught us how he formed his Creatures neverthelesse the wicked have said who is he that can give life to bones that are rotten Say unto them he it is that created you at first and that knoweth what he created he maketh fire to come out of the Greene Woods which ye burn and created the Heaven and the Earth cannot he create other creatures like unto you yes without doubt he createth what pleaseth him he knoweth all things when he willeth any thing he saith be thou and it is praised be he to whome all things appertain and before whom you all shall returne to be judged CHAP. XXXVII The Chapter of Orders containing fourescore Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and mercifull See Kitab el tenoir I swear by the orders of Angels that worship God and attend his commands by them that hinder men to obey the Devill and by them that read and meditate on the Alcoran that your God is one sole God Lord of the Heaven and the Earth and of all that is between them he is Lord of the West and of the East Wee adorned the Heaven and the Earth with Planets and have kept them safe from the malice of the Devills they cannot hear what is spoken in the Firmament they are shamefully driven away on all sides and shall be eternally tormented if they heare any thing spoken they heare it greedily and follow it speedily but the shining Planet persueth them and detecteth their malice The wicked have demanded if wee created any thing more illustrious then they Certainely wee created them all of the dust of the Earth Thou art amazed at their blasphemies they deride thy amazement and shall never be converted When they shall see miracles they shall scoffe and say that it is but evident magick to believe that they shall dye and after being earth bones and dust they shall rise againe with their Fathers and predecessors Say unto them that they shall rise againe and that they ere seduced from the right way that the world shall be but once destroyed and they shall see what will befall them at the day of Judgment They shall that day say they are wretched and the Angel shall say unto them behold the day of Judgment behold the day that the Godly shall be separated from the wicked behold the day w ch ye would not beleivâ— It shall be said to the Angels gather them together assemble their wives and their Idolls put them into the way of Hell and stay them to give accompt of their deportments and why their Idols do not succour them Certainly they shall desire to be
in the number of them that have obeyed GGDS Commandments they shall quarrel among them and shall say it is you that have seduced us from the right way through your oaths ye swore that ye followed the law of God and observed his Commandments they shall answer on the contraay we have no power over you you your selves were in manifest error the word of God shall be accomplished against us and we shall for company suffer the torments of hell if we seduced you we were likewise seduced and we shall this day be your compaions in punishment That day shall the wicked be in this manner afflicted they become insolent on earth when it is told them there is but one God and say shall we abandon our gods for a foolish lying Poet on the contrary he teacheth you the truth as did the Prophets that were before him ye shall be chastised and intreated according to your demerits Such as shall obey Gods Commandments shall have a place of safety wherein to rest with all sorts of fruits in pleasant gardens sitting orderly on delicious beds with glasses full of drink pleasing to the taste which shall not make them drunk Their wives white as fresh eggs shall not cast an eye upon any but upon them they shall talk together and one among them shall say I had on earth a companion who asked me if I beleived in the Resurrection and if after being reduced to earth bones and dust we shall rise again come with me let us go see what he doth he shall see him in the boâ—tom of hell shall say unto him by God it wanted little but that thou hadst seduced me without the grace of God I had bin damned as thou art we are not in the number of the dead we shall not suffer any paine on the contrary we are in exceeding great happiness thus are the righteous rewarded who are the more happy they who are in our felicity or such as are neer to Zacon the tree of hell This tree commeth out of the bottom of hell it riseth high and the branches themselves resemble the heads of devils the damned shall eat of the fruit thereof they shall drink boyling water and hell shall be the place of their habitation there Fathers were Infidels they followed their footsteps and the way of them that were seduced before them we sent unto them Preachers whom they refused to hear but consider what is the end of the righteous and that of the wicked We saved Noâ—h and gave grace to such as obeyed him we delivered him with his family from a great danger and perpetuated his progeny he shall be praised of all them that shall come after him because we gave him our blessing thus do I recompense the righteous he was in the number of them that obeyed my Commandments we saved him and them that followed him and drowned the infidels Remember Abraham God gave him an heart free from impiety and malice he said to his father his People wherefore worship ye false gods instead of the true God think ye to escape the punishment of your crimes Then he had a vision in heaven and said I am sick of your Idolatry they departed from him with purpose to be converted and empty the Temples of Idols of their treasures he said to the Idols wherefore eat ye not the sacrifices that are before you wherefore speak ye not and gave them a great blow with his right hand the people came together with wrath because he had stricken their gods he said unto them will ye worship the works of your hands know ye not that it is God that created you then they said among them let us build a great pile and put fire to it and cast Abraham into the fire they conspired against him but we rendred them ashamed and confounded Abraham said unto them I go towards my Lord he shall guide me into the way of salvation Lord give me a son that may be in the number of the righteous we declared to him that he should have a son exceeding wise when he arrived to years of discretion he said unto him my Sonne I dreamed this night that I must sacrifice thee what wilt thou that I doe he replyed my father do what is commanded you ye shall find me full of patience when his father laid him on the ground and put the knife nigh unto his throat we said uâ—to him O Abraham it is enough thou hast satisfyed thy dream thus do I entreat the righteous thus were we wont to prove them We redeemed hiâ— son with a fair Ram he shal be praised of posterity thoâ—â— that shall come after him shall bless his memory Thâ— do I reward the righteous he was in the number of theâ— that obey my Commandments We declared to him that he should have a son called Isaac from whom should issue many believers and unbeleivers Certainly we gave our grace to Moses and Aaron we delivered them with their followers from an evident peril we protected them they were in the number of the victorious we gave them the book full of light and conducted them into the right way they shall be praised in ages to come and posterity shall bless their memory Thus do I recompence the righteous they were in the number of them that obeyed my Commandments Elias is in the number of my Prophets and Apostles he said unto the people wherefore fear ye not God wherefore worship ye the Idol Balan and forsake the Creator of the world God is your Lord and the Lord of your predecessors they traduced him and were condemned to the fire of hell except such among them as obeyed my Commandments We left his memory happy to posterity thus I reward the righteous he was in the number of them that obeyed my Commandments Lot was in the number of my Prophets and Apostles Remember thou how we delivered him and his family from evident perill except his wife who remained among them that were chastised having saved him we destroyed the wicked they saw in the moâ—ning the foot steps of the ruine that befell them the night before wil ye not understand this mirale Jonas was in the number of the Prophets Remember thou that he fled in a ship was the cause of evill to the Saylors he was swallowed of a Whale â—ad he not repented of his fault he should have continued in the belly of that fish until the day of Iudgment we cast him on the shore extreamly feeble we covered him with leaves of Filbert and sent him to preach to more then an 100000 persons that we reconverted whose decease ferred untill the time appointed The Infidells have demanded if thy Lord hath daughters as they have sons did we create the Angels male and female in their presence They lie when they say that God hath a son hath he desired to have daughters rather than sons how can you thus blaspheme Consider ye not that he is God
wife would have made him to murmur Take rods in thy hand strike thy wife and swerve not from what thou hast promised We found him patient and zealous in obedience to our Commandments Remember our servant Abraham Isaac Jacob affectionate and zealous in our Law we saved and chose them among the righteous Such as have my fear before their eyes shall enjoy the delights of the Garden of Eden where they shall repose upon most glorious beds they shall there have all sorts of fruits and delicious drinke and their wives shall not look on any but on them Behold what is promised to them at the day of judgement and these pleasures shall never end The wicâ—ed and Infidels shall be precipitate â— into the fire of Hell they shall drink boiling water in abundance and water extreamly full of all manner of noysom smells they shall be precipitated into the flames and shall say to them that have obeyed them upon Earth May ye be perpetually tormented you have seduced and mis-led uâ— On the contrary may your selves be tormented you have been the cause of our misery Shall we not be able to see them whom we believed on Earth to be Infidels and whom we deâ—ided cannot our eyes see Thus shall the damned quarrel Say to the people I am sent only to preach unto you the Vnity of God the Omnipotent Creator of Heaven earth and of all that is between them Behold the best Sermon that I can make unto you neverthelesse you despise it I know not what happened in Heaven when the Angels quarrelled God hath inspiâ—ed it into me and I am â—ent but to instruct you aâ—d to preach publikly the paines of Hell Remember thou that God said to his Angels I will create man of the mire of the Earth when I have formed him I will breath against him and inspire my Sâ—irit into his body prostrate your selves before him with humiliâ—y The Angels there prostrated themselves except the Devil he was proud and already in the number of the wicked Thy Lord said unto him wherefore dost thou not humble thy self before the work of my hands Thou art in the number of the proud he replied I am better then man thou hast made me of fire and hast created him of the dust of the Earth Then thy Lord said unto him Get thee hence thou shalt be chastised on all sides my curse be upon thee untill the day of Iudgment He answered Lord defer my punishment untill the day of the Resurrection he said I will defer it untill the day appointed He replied through thy permission I will tempt all the world except such as shall be zealous in thy Law and shall obey thy Commandments He said I tell thee true I tell thee true I will fill Hell with thee and those that shall follow thee Say unto the people I require of you to recompence for my instructions I am not importunate Certainly this Book is sent only to instruct men you shal one day know the truth of what it containeth CHAP. XXXIX The Chapter of Troups containing seventy five Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious merciful This book was sent by God the Omnipotent and wise We sent it to thee the contents thereof are most true worship one God alone and obey his Commandments faith proceedeth from him alone Such as worship any other but him worship Idols They have said we would not invoke our Idolls had they not power to draw us neer to God Certainly God shall judge one day the difference that is between the beleivers and unbeleivers he guidetâ— not him that is a lyar and impious If he would have a son he would make choise of one of his creatures that should be pleasing to him praised be God there is but one God alwayes victorious he created the heavens and the earth with proportion he maketh the night to enter into the day the day into the night he created the Sun and the Moon which performe their course in heaven untill the day appointed he is omnipotent and merciful He hath created all of you of one sole man of whom he created his wife he hath given you clean beasts male and female he formed you in the wombs of your mothers form upon from he brought you out of three * The obscurity of the mothers belly her womb and the skin that infolâ— you in the womb obscurities he alone is your God and your Lord the kingdom of the world appertaineth to him there is no God but he How can the Infidel depart from his service If ye will not worship him he hath nothing to do with you he desireth not that his creatures should be impious his Will is that they praise him this is his pleasure and none shall bear the burthen of his neighbour ye al shall be assembled before him he wil shew ye what you have done he knoweth what is in the hearts of men When man is touched with any affliction See Gelaldin he invoketh God and turneth and when he is in prosperity he forgetteth his vows he hath said that God hath a companion equall to him and erreth from the way of his law Say unto him thou shalt be a while tollerated in the end thou shalt be cast headlong into the fire of hell and he that shall pray to God day and night erect prostrate or on the knee with fear of the torments of hell shall enjoy the mercy of his divine Majesty Are such as labour to be compared to them that are idle They that have judgment will understand this discourse Say unto them oh ye people that beleive 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 professe his Vnity to be obedient to him Say unto them I apprehend the day of Iudgment 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 shal lose their souls families at the day of Iudgment These are two great losses most certain they be involved in eternal fire Thus God preacheth to true beleivers O my creatures 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 shal enjoy the pleasures of Paradise wherein flow many rivers there shal they dwel eternaly This is the promise of God he swerveth not from that which he promiseth Seest thou not that God sendeth
he will have to die in the heavens and earth the second time all the world shall rise again and attend his commandments the earth shall be full of the light of the Lord thereof he shall bring his book where in shal be written what the Prophets Martyrs have taught he shal judg the world with equity shall not do injustice to any every one shal be rewarded chastised for his works he knoweth all that they have don he shal send the Infidels into the fire of hel in troops â—hen they shal be arrived at the gate it shal open before their eyes it shall be said unto them behold Hell which ye have merited were there not Prophets and Apostles to teach you the Commandments of God and to preach unto you on Earth the coming of this rigorous day They shall say yes but the word of God shall be accomplished against the wicked It shall be said unto them goe enter into Hell ye shall abide there eternally it is the habitation of the proud Such as shall have the fear of God before their eyes shall be conducted in troups to the gate of Paradise the gate shall open before their eyes it shall be said unto them behold what ye have gained the peace of God is with you ye have not been ignorant enter into Paradise ye shall dwel therein eternally They shall say praised be God for that we believed in his Law and because we are heirs of his grace we will goe into Paradise into what place shall seeme good to us God giveth his blessing to the righteous Thou shalt see the Angels about the throne of thy Lord who shall praise and exalt his glory they shall say God hath judged his creatures with equity praise is due to the Lord of the Vniverse CHAP. XL. The Chapter of the True-believer containing eighty five Verses written at Mecca Reader Gelaldin entituleth this Chapter Of the Pitifull IN the name of God gracious and mercifull God is prudent and wise This Book is sent by the omnipotent who knoweth all things who pardoneth sinnes and accepteth the conversion of his Creatures he is severe in his chastisements and indulgent to his people there is no God but he and all the world shall one day be assembled before his divine Majesty to be judged No man disputeth against the precepts of the Alcoran but the wicked be not thou discontented if they live on earth with some felicity the people of Noahs time contemned his instructions their posterity did like them and every Nation hath conspired the death of them whom God sent to instruct them thy disputed to obscure the truth through their lies but they were punished and after what manner So is the word of God accomplished against the wicked they all shall be damned The Angells that are about the Throne of God and those that bear him praise and exalt his divine Majesty they beleive in his unity and beg pardon of him for the True-believers Lord Lord thy mercy extendeth through the whole world nothing is hid from thee either in Heaven or Earth pardon their sins that convert and embrace thy holy Law deliver them from the fire of Hell open to them the gate of the gardens of Eden which thou hast prepared for them their Fathers wives and children and them of their lineage that shal do good works thou art omnipotent and wise Depart from sin he that shall depart from it shall resent the effects of Gods mercy at the day of Iudgment and shall enjoy eternall felicity the Infidels shall be hated of God his hatred is far more dangerous then yours wil ye be Indels after being called to the observation of the Law of Salvation They said Lord wilt thou cause us to dye twice and shall we twice rise againe But they shall say at the the day of Judgment Lord we confesse we have offended thee we acknowledge our sinne in having renounced the belief of thine unity Shall we never go out of Hell to observe thy Law and follow the way of salvation No ye shal suffer in the fire of Hell because that ye have believd them that adored Idols and because ye have said that God hath companions equall to him All things obey one sole God omnipotent he it is that made you to see his Miracles and sendeth you the riches of Heaven and Earth none consider it but such as are converted Pray to God and observe his LAW although it be against the will of the wicked he elevateth his Creatures to what degree he listeth he hath created his Throne and sent his inspirations to whom he seeth good to preach the day of Judgement that day shall the people come out of their Monuments none shal be able to hide himselfe from his divine Majesty Who shall command that day It shall be God alone victorious that day shall he recompense every one after his works without injustice he is exact to make accompt If thou preach to the wicked the day of Judgement their heart will lift them up and they shall be full of affliction their prayers shall not be heard and none shall intereede for them God knoweth them that have eyes of treachery and seeth all that is in the hearts of men he judgeth of every thing with truth the Idols which they worship are without power God alone understandeth all things and is omnipotent Consider they not what was the end of their predecessors who were more powerfull and more wealthy then they God surprized them in their sinnes there was none of power to save them for that they despised the Prophets of his divine Majesty they contemned his Law and were impious but he severely chastised them he is omnipotent and most severe Wee sent Moses with miracles with reasons cleare and intelligible to Pharoah to Haman and Caron they said that Moses was A Sorcerer and a Lyar and when hee preached to them the truth on our behalfe they said kill him with all those that believe him and make their wives infamous but their conspiracy was but impiety Pharoah said hinder me not to kill Moses let him invoke his God to save him I fear that he may alter your Law and introduce some disorder in the Land Moses said God mine and your Lord shall defend me from the malice of the proud that believe not the day of judgement Then a man of the domestiques of Pharoah that secretly professe the true Law said will ye slay a man that declareth that God is his Lord and that hath made you to see miracles if he be a lyar his lye shal be against him but if he speak the truth something of what he hath preached shall befal you God guideth nether the wicked nor lyars Oh people you this day command on Earâ—h with splendor who shall defend us from the wrath of God if it fall upon us Pharoah said I speak nothing to you but what I have told you heretofore and I will guid you
from our Commandments cannot hide themselves from us Shall he that shall be precipitated into Hell be better lodged then he that shall be saved at the day of Iudgment Do what shall please you your Lord beholdeth all your actions I will chastise them thot traduce the Alcoran it is a precious Book it is approved by the ancient and modern Scriptures it is sent from the glorious and mercifull None other thing shall be spoken to thee then what hath been spoken to the Prophets that preceeded thee thy Lord is mercifull and just Had we sent the Alcoran in the Persian tongue to a Prophet an Arabian by Nation the wicked would have said That the divine mysteries are not well explained Say unto them It is the guide of Believers and a remedy to their ignorance Infidels have deaf ears they are blind and hear not a◠those that are called too far off Certainly we gave the Book and the Law to Moses Vnbelievers doubt but if thy Lord had not said That he would defer their punishment untill the day of Iudgement he had already chastised them in this world because they doubt of the truth Whosoever shall doe good shall find good and the evill that a man committeth shall be against him Thy Lord doth no injustice to his Creatures None but he knoweth the day of Iudgement no fruit nor flower springeth out of the Earth and woman neither conceiveth nor bringeth forth but by his permission Be thou mindful of the day that the lord shal cal Idolaters demand of them where be their Idols They shall say Lord we acknowledg thy Vnity None of us will hereafter adore those false gods They that worshipped one God departed from Idolaters they know that the punishment of their sin is infallible Man never ceaseth to require riches and is troubled when evill befalleth him if we give him good after his affliction he saith that he foresaw it and hath no thought of the comming of the day of Judgement if he be converted thy Lord openeth to him the gate of Paradise I will make the wicked to know their wickednesse and will most severely punish them when we bestow wealth on man he followeth his Idolatry and his sin and when he is touched in affliction he aboundeth in prayer Say unto them know ye not that the Alcoran proceedeth from God neverthelesse ye have renounced it who is more impious then he that impugneth the known truth I will cause them to see my miracles even to the utmost parts of heaven and earth and in their own persons to the end they may know the truth of the Alcoran Sufficeth it not them that thy Lord seeth all things neverthelesse they are in doubt of the Resurrection and of being assembled before him to be judged certainly God is omniscient CHAP. XLII The Chapter of Counsell containing fifty and three Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and mercifull God is prudent wise majestique he understandeth all things and is omnipotent God hath sent thee the same inspirations that he sent to them that did precede thee he is omnipotent and wise whatsoever is in heaven and in earth appertaineth to him he is omnipotent and knoweth all things the heavens open at his command the Angels exalt his glory and implore his pardon for them that are on earth he is mercifull he beholdeth them that invoke Idols and knoweth them all but thou art not their Tutor We have inspired into thee the Alcoran in the Arabique tongue to preach to the Inhabitanta of Mecca and such as dwell about that City we have sent thee to preach unto them the day of Judgement there is no doubt that one part of men shall be saved and the other shall be damned had it pleased God he had created them of one the same Religion he giveth his grace to whom he listeth and Infidels shall be deprived of succour because they have required the protection of Idoles but God is the true protector of the world he reviveth the dead and is omnipotent he shall one day judge all the difficulties resolve all your doubts in your Religion he is my Lord I recommend my self to his divine Will he created your wife of your selvs he created all beasts male and female and caused you to multiply there is not any thing like unto him he keepeth the keyes of the Treasures of heaven and earth and taketh away and giveth wealth as pleaseth him The Law that I gave to Noah Abraham Moses and Jesus is that which I commanded thee to observe viz. to believe in one God The infidells are angry when thou preachest to them the unity of God he teacheth it whom he pleaseth and guideth into the right way them that obey him the wicked approve some points of his law and reject the rest although they have knowledge of his Vnity and that through the envy that is risen among them if thy Lord had not heretofore said that he would defer their punishment untill the day of Iudgment he had already destroyed them many of those who after them shall have knowledg of the Scriptures shall doubt of his Law but follow thou the way that is appointed thee and follow not their appetites Say unto them I believe in the Book that God hath sent I have received commandment to preach unto you that God is your and our Lord ye shall answer for your actions and we shall answer for ours it is not necessary to dispute against us God will one day assemble us in his presence to judge our differences he is our refuge such as dispute against the faith after knowledge of the truth are without reason their arguments shall be vaine with God they shall be the object of his wrath and shall suffer exceeding great pains God hath sent the Alcoran with truth ballance he will not instruct thee when the day of judgment shal be Such as have no faith in him ask when it shal come and they that believe him fear the coming thereof and know it to be infallible such as doubt are erroneous from the right way God is merciful to his people enricheth whom he pleaseth he is strong omnipotent he encreaseth the graces of him that desireth the riches of Heaven he giveth the wealth of the earth to them that effect it and depriveth them of the riches of Heaven Are there wicked ones among men that teach them a false Religion prohibited of God God hath not revealed it to thē had he not deferred their punishment until the day of Iudgmment he had already destroyed them they shall in the end feel grevious tormens ye shal see thē fear their own deportments ye shall see them chastised after their demerits and the believers that do good works shall enjoy the delights of Paradise where they shall finde whatsoever they shall desire this is the great grace of God this is that which he hath proclaimed to the faithfull that believed
father and his people I am innocent of the sin that you commit in adoring Idols I woâ—ship him alone that created me he shall guide me into the way of Salvation and hath left his words to posterity perhaps the Infidels shall be converted I deferred heretofore the punishment of Idolaters until they had learned the truth and that a Prophet came to instruct them When he preached unto them the truth they said that it is but witchcraft and that they would give no faith to it Had the Alcoran beene sent to a man * â—Olid bin Maguiâ—he and Arâ—ua bin Mâ—sâ—oud in whom the Arabians had confidence See Kitab el tenior Master and Lord of two Cities or Villages they had esteemed and approved it Would they dispose of the graces of GOD He hath divided the riches of the world among men Some there be that are more eminent and scorn each other but the mercy of God is more advantageous then the riches of the Earth which they accumulate Although all the people be not of the same Religion we cease not to bestow on the wicked houses adorned with seeling enchased with silver staires doores and Beds of silver and gold These things are the riches of the Earth and Paradise is for them that are righteous I will cause to fall headlong with the Devils such as shall reject the Law of the mercifull the Devils shall be their companions they shall seduce them from the way of Salvation and they shall not know it When we shall come to judge the Vniverse they shall say would to GOD we had been as remote from you as the West is from the East Oh what company for you This day your repentance and your hopes shall be vaine ye were Infidels for company ye shall be companions in the Fire of Hel. Wilt thou make the blind to see and the deafe to heare Wilt thou guide them that wilfully erre If they dye before being punished on Earth I will be avenged on them in the other world Shall I shew thee during thy life the punishment that we have prepared for them We can do it but do thou only what hath been commanded thee thou art in the way of salvaâ—ion instruct men therein an accompt of thy mission shal be required of thee I wil require an accompt of their mission that we sent heretofore to instruct the people we wil demand of them if we appointed them to worship any other God but us Wee sent Moses to Pharoah and his Ministers he caused them to see our Miracles preached to them our Commandment he told them that he was the Messenger of the God of the Vniverse neverthelesse they scoffed I shewed them no greater Miracle then that of Moses his sister and we chastised them because of their nâ—redulity They said unto Moses oh Magician pray unto thy Lord that he deliver us from these evils and we will be converted when they were delivered they violated their promiser and Pharoah said to his people am not I King of Aegypt doth not the River NILVS flow under my obedience Know ye not that I am more powerful then that poor wretch Moses that knowes not what he sayes Give him * Pharoah caused braâ—â—lets of guilâ—ed Iron to be given with Collers to criminalls and made theâ— to go tâ—â—oâ—gh the City bracelets of Gold we will see if the Angels and those that follow his Doctâ—ine will testifie the truth of his words He terrified his Subjects they obeyed him for they were Infidels but we were avenged on them when they provoked us we drowned them and made them serve for example to posterity like those that preceeded them in impiety The people would not hearken to the Sonne of Mary when he spake by parable they said our Gods are more profitable to us then his lyes and questions On the contrary they were refractory he is our servant we conferred on him our grace and made him like to the other Prophets of the Children of Israel Had it pleased me I had created Angels on earth in your place the comming of Jesus the Sonne of Mary shall be a sign of the certainty of the day of Iudgment See Gelaldin And Kitab el tenoir doubt not concerning that day He said unto men â—ollow me it is the right way beware lest the Devill seduce you he is your open enemy I come to teach you the Commandments of God to resolve the doubts and judg the differences that are among you Fear God obey him he is your Lord and mine worship him it is the right way The people doubted his Doctrine but misery shall be upon the wicked they shall suffer great torments at the day of â—udgement will they expect that day for their conversion it shall surprize them and they know it not that day shall they be enemies one of another God shall say to the righteous fear not ye shall not this day resent any affliction The believers that have obeyed my Commandments shall enter into Paradise you and your wives shall there rejoyce ye shall drink in cups of fine gold ye shall there find whatsoever ye shall desire and all that can content the minde and delight the eyes and ye shall dwell eternally in supream felicity behold the Paradise that ye have gained by your good life it is enriched with abundance of fruits which ye shall eat with contentment and the wicked shall remain eternally in the fire of Hell they shall not be eased in their miseries and shall be dumâ— with despaire we do no injustice to them they drew mischief on themselves through their disobedience They shall demand of the Keeper of the fire will thy Lord never deliver â—s from these paines He shall answer them ye shall abide there Eternally We have taught men the truth but the greatest part of them would not believe it The wicked have conspired against thee and we conspired against them think they that I know not their secrets and whatsoever they utter The Angels our Messengers keep accompt 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 deliver it Leave them implunged in their impiety let them Laugh and rejoyce untill the day of their punishment arrive One God alone ought to be worshiped in Heaven and Earth he is most wise and omniscient Praised be he to whom appertaineth the Kingdome 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 thaâ— 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 peole is incredulous Depart thou far form their company they shall in
posterity to do the like Certainly they are in a great error Separate thy self far from their company and be not troubled at what they say preach the Alcoran it is profitable to the righteous I did not create the devils and men but to worship me Say unto them I require nothing of unbelievers for instructing them I require not that they nourish me God enricheth whom he pleaseth he is omnipotent the wicked shall be chastised as heretofore have been their predecessors in their malice their time shal come and misery shall befal them at the day of judgment CHAP. LII The Chapter of the Mountain containing thirty nine Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Mountain upon which God spake to Moses by what is contained in the book written in parchment by the first Temple of Mecca by the arches of the heavens and by the sea full of water that God is one sole God and the punishment promised to unbelievers is infallible they shall not be able to escape it in the day when the heaven shal tremble and the mountains shall wâ—â—â—â—â—at day shall be unhappy 〈…〉 â—â—ated in the fire 〈…〉 that ye 〈…〉 paâ—◠〈…〉 our 〈…〉 â—ore 〈…〉 â—od 〈…〉 â—e 〈…〉 â—d 〈…〉 â—d 〈…〉 works they shall repose upon beds well ordered we will marry them to wives that shall have fair eyes they shall be attended of their family and be largly rewarded for their good works every good action shall be to them a dégree of happiness We will give them such fruits and Vines as they shall desire they shall present to each other the cup to drink they shall not speak an evill word and shall not siâ— they shall have pages about them for their service beautifull as pollished pearls they shall discourse among them concerning what they did before on Earth and say We were in the world we and our families with a great apprehension of the pains of hell but God hath gratified us he hath delivered us from eternall flames They shall say moreover we worshipped in the world but one God most just and most mercifull Remember thou to preach the Alcoran thou art not ingratefull for the grace of God thou art not possessed of the Devill will they say that thou art a Poet a Rimer that nothing must be expected from thee but fables of past Ages Say unto them ye expect the time of my destruction but I with you expect the time of your ruine Do their superiors command them to speak in this manner Will they be obstinate in their errors Will they say that Mahomet hath invented the Alcoran Certainly they are incredulous let them bring any discourse like to this book in Doctrine and Eloquence if what they affirm be true Were they created of any thing have they created any thing have they created themselves have they created the Heavens and the Earth Certainly they are incredulous Have they in their power the treasures of thy Lord are they Gyants Have they a ladder that may raise them to hear what is spoken in Heaven Let them produce some reason of their opinion Believe ye that God hath daughters and that ye have sonnes Will ye require of him a Salary for obeying his Law Is he your debtor The wicked are lyars do they know what shall be do they weite it Desire they to conspire against thee The wicked often conspire against the righteous that worship but one God Praised be God he hath no companion If the Infidels should see a piece of the Heaven to fall they would say it is a cloud driven by the winds leave them in their obstinacy untill they come to the day of their death that day shall their conspiracy be vain and they deprived of protection They likewise shall be punished before their death but the greatest part know it not Have pacience and expect the Judgment of God thou shalt soon see it I will protect thee and thou shalt not want help Praise thy Lord exalt his glory when thou shalt rise praise him in the night and before the Stars disappear CHAP. LIII The Chapter of the Starre containing sixty Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Star that disappeareth that your friend Mahomet â—rreth not he speaketh nothing of his own he speaketh but what hath been inspired into him by the omnipotent and most bountifull God The Angell approached him in the highest place of heaven within the length of two bowes somewhat nearer The Turks believe that there is an Apple tree at the right side of throne of God and that none can ascend higher then its branches no not the angels God hath inspired into him what he hath inspired into his servant who altered nothing of what hath been inspired into him He hath spoken what he hath seen and in what form the Angel was Dispute not against him concerning what he saw he another time saw the Angel in Heaven near to the Tree that is at the right side of Gods throne and although that tree was covered with that which covered him his fight was not dazled and he is not in error Certainly he hath seen the great wonders of his Lord Have ye considered Alat Az and Menat those three Idols Will ye sâ—â—are that God hath daughters and that ye have Sonnes ye will make a false Oath and shall be in a manifest error Those Idols have nothing but the names which your Fathers and you have given them See Gelaldin God hath not commanded you to worship them ye follow only your passions remote from the truth God teacheth you the way of Salvation by the mouth of his Prophet doth man obtain from Idols what he required of them God is God in the beginning and the end How many Angels be there in Heaven whose prayers are unprofitable if God doth not accept them They that believe not in the day of Judgment say that Angels are maidens they understand not what they say they speak through opinion and that opinion is not conformed to truth Depart thou farre from them that reject our Law and desire only the goods of the Earth and are ignorant of all other things Thy Lord knoweth them that go a stray from the right way and such as follow the path of Salvation all that is in the Heavens and Earth is Gods he shall chastise the wicked See Gelaldin and reward the just He pardoneth their veniall sinnes who flie sinnes mortall he is exceeding merciful He knoweth that he hath created you of Earth Great and small sins and that he formed you in your mothers womb Extol not your selves he knoweth such as have his fear before their eyes Hast thou seen him that abandoned the faith a little wealth was given him and nothing more doth he know what must befall him hath he knowledg of what is to come will he not learn what is written in the books
commandeth what pleaseth him Give a share to God to the Prophet his Parents Orphans the poor and pilgrims that no disorder may arise among you that are rich perform what the Prophet shall command you abstain from what he shall prohibit you and fear God he is severe in his chastisements do good to the poor that have forsaken their faculties and hoâ—ses and separated themselves from the wicked for the service of God and to defend his Law and his Prophet Theâ— that before them forsooke their Houses for the service of GOD affect those that have followed them they beare them no malice for the wealth they possesse although they themselves are necessitous They that are not avaritious shall be happy such as shall suceed them shall pray for them and say Lord pardon our sins and our brethren that were our predecessors in the observance of thy Commandements infuse no malice into our hearts against them that follow thy Law thou art gracious and mercifull Seest thou not that the wicked say to their brethren wicked as themselves had ye not so soon left Medina we had gone out with you and had never obeyed him whom ye have obeyed had ye fought we had defended you God seeth that they are impious had they delayed to goe forth they should not have gone forth with them had they fought they would not have succoured them they had turned the back and had found no protection they feare men more then God because they are ignorant The Jews shall not fight against you together unlesse in their fortresses and behind walls the War among them is cruell but think not that they may assemble and unite themselves their hearts are divided because they are ignorant they are like their predecessors who were chastised and slain and shall suffer great torments at the day of Judgement they are like to him whom the devill had seduced and said to him I am innocent of thine impiety I feare God Lord of the Universe the end of both is to be cast headlong into the fire of hell where they shall abide eternally such is the reward of the wicked O ye that believe feare â—od and consider what ye shall do at the day of Judgement feare God he knoweth whatsoever ye doe be not like to those that forget his Commandements he forgetteth them and they continue in the number of the damned they shall be most miserable and such as shall go into Paradise shall be blessed If wâ— should make the Alcoran to descend upon a mountain it will open it self with the feare it will have of the Word of God Thus doe I speak in parables to the people peradventure they will be converted There is but one only God who knoweth what is present future past he is gracious merciful there is but one God King of all things He is holy the deliverer true the punisher strong powerfull glorious Praised be God he hath no companion he is God the Creator who hath formed whatsoever is in the world all glorious attributes are due to him whatsoever is in heaven and earth exalt his glory he is omnipotent and wise CHAP. LX. The Chapter of Triall containing eighteene Verses written at Mecca Some Mahometan Doctors have intituled this the Chapter of Vocation because it entreateth of women that forsooke their husbands to follow the Law of Mahomet who appointed to try their hearts intention and to know their Vocation IN the name of God gracious and mercifull O ye that believe obey not mine nor your enemies ye shew kindnesse to them when ye meet them neverthelesse they reject the truth that hath been sent unto them and chase away the Prophet and you also and that because ye believe in God your Lord Seek not their friendship when ye fight against them for my Law I know what ye ought to feare and ye know it not he that shall doe what is here above prohibited followeth an evill way if they have advantage over you they will be your enemies they will stretch forth their hands and tongues against you they will revile you and desire that ye may renounce your faith if ye doe it ye shall have no content in your wives or children at the day of judgement ye shall be separated from them and God shall behold all your actions ye have a fair example in Abraham and them that were with him when they said to the people we are innocent of the sin that ye commit in worshipping any other God but God Abraham said to his father I will â—ot implore pardon of God for thee I am not able to deliver thee from his punishment if thou art an Idolater Lord all our confidence is in thee our refuge is in thy mercy protect not unbelievers against us pardon our sins thou art mercifull and wise ye have in them a faire example for them that feare God and apprehend the day of Judgement God hath not to doe with them that obey Infidels neither hath he need of any person and praise is due to him in all places peradventure he will establish for the future great amity between you and them that ye hate he is omnipotent gracious and mercifull he doth prohibite you the conversation of them that fight not against you for his faith and that expel you not from your houses he doth not forbid you to do them justice he loveth the just He forbiddeth you to converse with them that fight against your faith that drive you from your houses and aide to expell you he prohibiteth you to obey them and to contract amity with them such as obey them shall be exceedingly too blame O ye that beleeve in God! when the wives of your enemies shall throw themselves into your party trie their conscience if ye know them to be faithfull and to believe in the Law of God restore them not to the incredulous Infidels it is not lawfull for them to know them neither for the women to teach them give them subsistance ye shall not 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 Judge at the day of Judgement 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 repaire that damage to him that suffereth out of the booty that ye shall conquer feare 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 mercifull O ye that believe obey not them against whom God is angry they despaire of their salvation as the wicked dispaired
your sins and make you to enter into Gardens wherein flow many rivers the light of faith shall goe before the Prophet and them that have followed him When God shall recompense 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 goe into it God teacheth them a parable that follow his Law Take example by the wife of Pharoah 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 Josaphat preserved her virginity we inspired into her our Spirit she believed the words of her Lord and the Scriptures shee 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 mercifull Praised be he to whom belongeth the Empire of the world who is omnipotent and hath created life and death to let you know which is the better he is omnipotent and mercifull 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 terrible voyces that proceed from despair and wrath when they shall be cast thither headlong when they shall enter into hell by troups 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 bottome of hell Such as fear God without seeing him shall receive pardon of their offences and an exceeding great reward Speak secretly or publiquely God knoweth whatsoever ye have in your hearts since the time of your creation he is blessed and omniscient He hath established wayes upon the earth goe 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 earth drie and barren and cause it to tremble Believe ye that hee who is in heaven is not able to send against you an impetuous winde 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 neverthelesse ye persevere in your sinnes 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 hee 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 accompt of your actions The wicked dmaned when the day of Judgement shall be Say unto them God knowes 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 sinnes 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 mercifull 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 Commandements of God Others affirm it to signifie the Ink-horn but many of the Mahometan Doctors intitle this the Chapter of the Pen. IN the Name of God gracious and mercifull I swear by the Pen and by all that is written that thou art not possessed of the Devill 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 indulgent towards them and themselves more milde towards thee Obey not those infamous lyars those bablers sinners seducers and wicked persons full of treasures and children When the Mysteries of faith are related to them they say that they are but fables of antiquitie we will put upon their noses a mark of shame and ignominy we have tryed them as Gardeners when they have resolved in the evening to cut off the morning following some fruits of their garden for their refection and have not said if it please God By night which they slept God sent fier into their gardens that consumed them in the morning they called each other and said come to put order to your garden if ye desire to gather the fruits they believed the poore would enter they ran to drive them away and found their fruits black and their gardens blasted Then they said we are seduced we are sinners one of them said that it was requisite to praise God Then they said praised be God we are great sinners they approached each other and complained among themselves They said misery is upon us we were in a great error peradventure God will give us hereafter more then the value of what
we have lost we must beg his grace thus God chastiseth on earth whom he pleaseth but the torments of the other world are much more grievous They that have his fear before their eyes shall dwell in gardens full of delights Shall I intreat the good like the wicked How can ye judge it have ye a book wherein you reade what pleaseth you have we promised to you any content at the day of Judgement Shall you have that day what ye have promised to your selves Ask of them who will be surety for their belief will their Idols and companions be their surety Let them cause them to come if they be true Be thou mindfull of the day when sins shall be detected and the wicked shall be commanded to worship God but they shall not be able to behold him their eyes shall be troubled with fear and their sight covered with shame They are enjoyned in the world to worship his divine Majesty but they refuse to perform it I will punish them by little and little when they shall least think of it I will defer the punishment of their crimes because my wrath is strong Dost thou demand of men any recompence for thy preaching are they charged with any expence Have they in their power the book wherein is the future to write therein what they affirm Attend the Judgement of thy Lord and be not like him that was swallowed of the Whale He invoked his Lord in his affliction if his Lord had not sent him his grace he should never have come upon earth when he repented of his sin his Lord pardoned and placed him in the number of the righteous The unbelievers labour to shake thee through their looks and that through envie they affirm that thou art possessed of the Devill when they hear thee read the Alcoran It was not sent but to instruct the world CHAP. LXIX The Chapter of Verification containing fifty two Verses written at Mecca Ekteri intituleth this the Chapter of Judgement because that day all shall be verified IN the name of God gracious and merciful Verification approacheth Verification approacheth God hath not told thee in what time shall be the day of Verification Temod and Aad would not believe in him that preached to them the day of affliction and sorrow but Temod was destroyed by an extraordinary noise and Aad by an impetuous winde that God sent against them seven nights and eight dayes together they were overthrown strâ—tched out like palms faln upon the earth did any one among them save himself Pharoah and his predecessors with the Inhabitants of the Cities that were overthrown because of their sins disobeyed the Prophets and Apostles of God and were rudely chastised We preserved you in Noahs Ark when the waters swelled to serve for example of our omnipotency to them that saw it and to such as shall hear it mentioned Be thou mindfull of the day when the Angell shall sound the Trumpet when the earth shall lift it selfe up and the mountains tremble then what must come to passe shall come to passe heaven with weakness shall open and the Angel that shall bear the throne of God shall be upon the border of the heaven Then shall eight Angels present the books wherein shall be written the sinnes of men and nothing shall be concealed Such as shall take in the right hand the book of the accompt of their actions shall say wee finde what we believed to be true we know with certain knowledge the comming of this day and the felicity of life is in Paradise It shall be said to them eat and drink of the good things of Paradise at your pleasure They that shall take the book of accompt of their actions in their left hand shall say would to God that this book had been lost I know not what is this accompt would to God that I had been eternally buried in the earth the riches authority and treasures of the world are to me unprofitable It shall be said to the devils take them binde them and throw them headlong into hell put chains seventy cubits long upon their arms and cast them into fire they would not believe in the Unity of God the Omnipotent they have eaten the bread of the poor they are this day without protection and want bread and shall find nothing but the pains of hell prepared for the wicked I swear although ye see and although ye do not see the Alcoran it is the word of the Prophet the Apostle of God it is not the word of a Poet but few persons will believe it It is not the word of one that is wicked but few men remember it it is sent from God Lord of the Universe The Infidels say oh Prophet if thou speak we will not hear thee thy speech shall not enter into our hearts Say unto them there is none among you able to deliver you from the punishment of your crimes the Alcoran instructeth in the way of salvation them that believe in his divine Majesty I know that there are lyars among you whom God shall put into the number of Infidels the Alcoran is truth it self Praised be the name of God Omnipotent and Majestique CHAP. LXX The Chapter of the Ascent containing forty four Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful Some persons have demanded when shal the day of Judgement be and in what time the wicked shall be chastised none but God is able to deliver men from the torments of hell he is Lord of the way that ascendeth to heaven the Angels and Spirits shall ascend towards him at the day of Judgement that day shall seem to the wicked to endure fifty thousand years expect with patience the wicked imagine they are far from that day but thou shalt see it speedily that day shall the heaven resemble dissolved mettall the mountains shall be like to carded wooll which bendeth downwards none shall ask his neighbour who he is and they shall look one upon another the unbelievers shall desire to redeem themselves from these pains through the loss of their children their wives their brethren their companions their neighbours and the loss of all that is on earth The flame of fire shall rise upon them and shall burn the skin of their head they shall call upon those that are behinde them that have like themselves abandoned the Law of God and the covetous that shall have heaped up treasures Man was created timerous he is afraid when evill befalleth him and is arrogant when good hapneth to him except the believers who are stable in their faith that persevere in their prayers that give alms to the poor that beg and those that are bashfull that believe in the day of Judgement feare the punishment of God and know none other women but their own and their slaves they shall be exempt from affliction at the day of Judgement those that shall act the contrary shall be in the number of the unjust They
who effect what they have promised and preserve faithfully what to them hath been entrusted who speak the truth in testimony and who make their prayers at the time appointed shall be honoured in Paradise Wherefore is it that the Infidels who are about thee cast their eyes to the right hand and to the left with pride do they require to enter into Paradise and be saved We have created them as other men I swear by the Lord of the East and West that we are able to change them into a people better then they and that it is a thing easie for us to perform leave them in their errors untill they be come to the day when they are promised to be chastised and that they shall come out of their sepulchres to repaire to universall Judgement they shall repair thither terrified and their sight shall be covered with shame this is the day that hath been heretofore preached to them CHAP. LXXI The Chapter of Noah containing twenty eight Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and mercifull Before men were chastised we sent Noah to preach to them the pains of hell he said unto them O ye people I preach to you the pains of hell worship one only God and fear him obey me he shall pardon your sins hee deferreth your punishment untill the day appointed and shall not retard it when his hour shall be come did ye know it ye would be converted Afterward he said Lord I have exhorted this people night and day but mine exhortations have been very much in vain they have strengthned themselves in their impiety and when I preached to them they put their fingers into their ears and covered their heads with their garments that they might not hear they continue in their impiety and become proud I have preached to them publikely I lifted up my voyce I have expounded to them the mysteries of thy Law I said unto them implore pardon of God he is most merciful he shall send you abundance of rain to water the earth he shall give you store of wealth and many children he shall give you gardens embellished with fountains and rivers who hâ—ndreth you to honour God He it is that hath created you in the condition wherein you are consider ye not that he hath created seven heavens the one upon the other that he created the Moon with her brightness and the Sun with his light he hath caused the earth to bring forth all sorts of plants he will cause you all to return to earth and to revive he hath extended it to the end ye may walk in the wayes thereof large and spacious Lord said Noah this people hath disobeyed me they have followed that which can give them neither prosperity nor profit but rather a most certain damage they have conspired against me and said among themselves forsake not your gods forsake not Oâ—â—â—â—oa Igout Joac and Nesar they erre from the right way Lord adde to their confusion Then were they drowned because of their sins they shall be cast headlong into the fire whence none but God is able to deliver them Noah said Lord leave not a wicked man upon the earth they will seduce thy creatures from the right way they will leave children lyars and impious like themselves pardon my sins pardon the sins of my father my lineage and those that shall believe in thy Law and destroy the unjust CHAP. LXXII The Chapter of Devils containing twenty eight Verses written at Mecca Some Mahometans intitle this the Chapter of Spirits IN the name of God gracious and merciful Say to the people I have received an inspiration which some devils heard of me when I read the Alcoran and that they said we have heard the miraculous Alcoran read it teacheth the right way we believe in what it contains we believe not that God hath companions we believe there is but one God we believe not that he hath wives or children our ignorant persons blaspheme against his divine Majesty nevertheless we imagin that they could not do it There are who require aid of the devils and augment their confusion because they say that God will not cause any to rise again some devils have said we have been as high as heaven and found it furnished with guards and stars we staied in a place a little distant to hear there is one star that watcheth them that hearken and drives them away we know not if God hateth the men that are upon earth or if he will teach them the right way but we are now in the number of them that believe in the unity of his divine Majesty they sayd oh ye people we were before in the way of error we heretofore believed that God did not operate on earth but no person in whatsoever place he be can avoid obeying his Will we heard the book read that teacheth the right way we believe in what it contains he that believeth in God will not fear any misery or injustice there be of us that are good and that trust in God others there are who are wicked and impious such as obey the Commandements of God follow the right way and the wicked shall be precipitated into the fire of hell Had the Infidels followed the right way we had sent them from heaven abundance of rain and given them our grace I will try them and such as shall despise the Alcoran shall be punished The Temples belong to God invoke one sole God in the Temples when his servant riseth he worshippeth his divine Majesty it wanted not much but these dâ—vils had published the plurality of Deities Say unto the people worship God my Lord I believe in one God who hath no companion I can neither guide nor seduce you but through his permission If I dâ—sobey him none shall be able to save me and I shall want protection at the day of Judgement I can do no more for you then to preach to you his Law this is the subject of my Embassie He who shall disobey God and his Prophet shall be damned and shall remain eternally in the fire of hell The wicked shal know such as shall be deprived of succour and protection when they shall behold the pains prepared for them Say unto them I know not whether what is promised to you shall incontinently happen or whether God will defer it some time none knoweth what is to come but God and those whom he hath elected to be Prophets and Messengers of his Will he inspireth into them his Commandments to preach to men he upholdeth all the actions of men and keepeth an exact accompt of every thing CHAP. LXXIII The Chapter of the Fearfull containing twenty Verses written at Mecca The Arabians have intituled this the Chapter of the Fearfull when the Angel Gabriel brought this Chapter to Mahomet he was afraâ—d of the splendor of his light and covered himself with his garments which gave occasion to the Angel to call him and say oh
the seduced there shall they remain eternalâ— They shall find there no rest neither drink but of boyâ—ng and most stinking water a reward conformed to their â—orks the Infidels believe not that they must render an â—ccompt of their actions and blaspheme but we keep â—ccompt and write exactly what they doe It will be said 〈◊〉 them at the day of Judgement Taste this day the punishment that ye have merited your pains shall be augmented and pains upon pains They who shall have had the feare of God before their eyes shall be in a place of felicity in the gardens of a most fertile Land enriched with grapes and Pomegranats they shall drink in Cups full of a delicious liquor and shall hear no vain speeches nor lying such is the recompense of them that obey the Commandements of God He is Lord of the heavens and earth none shall dare to speak when the Spirits and Angels shall be assembled before him none shall be able to speak or pray for another without his permission This day shall be the day of truth they that shal be acceptable to him shall retire towards his divine Majesty We have preached unto you that the punishment of God shal speedily come upon you every one shall see all that he shall have done and the wicked shall say at the day of Judgment would to God that I had been earth and dust CHAP. LXXIX The Chapter of them that take away containing forty six Verses written at Mecca Gelaldin entituleth this the Chapter of them that draw forth the soul. IN the name of God gracious and mercifull I sweare by the Angels that take away the souls from the bodies of Infidels and the wicked By the Angels that accompany the souls of believers By the Angels that exalt the glory of God By the Angels that guide the souls of the righteous when they goe into Paradise and by the Angels that are appointed for the affairs of the world that all people shall rise again at the day of Judgement that day the earth shall tremble and the hearts of men shall tremble at the first time that the Trumpet shall sound at the second their sight shall be troubled with feare and they shall say Behold we we are returned upon earth to the place whence we departed our bones were rotten and our returne to the world shall bring upon us only misery this second sound of the Trumpet is a sign of the wrath of God Then shall they be out of their sepulchers revived upon the earth Hast thou learned the history of Moses and how God his Lord called him in the holy valley called Tor and how he said goe towards Pharoah he is seduced from the right way and is in a great error Say unto him I called thee to the way of Salvation I will purifie and guide thee into the way of the Law of God to the end thou mayst have his fear before thine eyes Moses made Pharoah to see one of his great miracles neverthelesse he contemned Moses disobeyed him and departed from the right way he caused his people to assemble and made Proclamation that he was their God but God rigorously chastised him because of his blasphemies this is an example of his omnipotency to them that are righteous O ye wicked were ye more difficult to create then heaven God hath raised the roof thereof and proportioned it he hath made the night obscure and the day full of splendor he hath stretched forth the earth hath made fountains to spring forth to water the plants and to give drink to beasts he hath elevated and established the Mountains for you and for your flocks Men shall call to mind the good and the evill that they have done at the second sound of the Trumpet and hell shall appeare open before their eyes The wicked that have followed their own appetites on earth shall be precipitated into hell and such as have had the feare of God before their eyes and have subdued their passions in this world shall goe into Paradise The wicâ—ed will ask of thee when the day of Judgement shall be none knoweth it but thy Lord Thou art not sent but to preach the pains of hell to them that feare that day as if they saw it present before their eyes they shall imagine that they have not remained in the tomb but from evening untill morning when they rise againe CHAP. LXXX The Chapter of the Blind containing forty two Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and mercifull The Prophet frowned had a surly countenance and withdrew himself when the blind came towards him He will not tell thee if he will believe in God and if he will professe thy preaching depart thou from him that shall depart from the Law of God thou art obliged only to preach to him and not to make him to believe but forsake not them that shall come to see thee to be instructed and shall fear God The Alcoran is sent for the instruction of men it was copied upon the book that is kept in heaven to which honour and praise is due eternally Wherefore is man impious Is it because he is created of a little water retained in the womb of his mother untill the time appointed and because hee found the way to come forth is it for that God causeth him to dye and to revive when it seems good to him Hee performeth nor what God commandeth neither considereth the good things that nourish him We have sent rain we opened the treasures of the earth we made all sorts of grain to spring forth Blites Olives Dates Gardens and fields full of fruits and herbs to nourish you and your flocks When the Angel shall sound the Trumpet the second time Man shall flie his brother his mother wife and children every one shall take thought for himself that day shall the wicked have countenances covered with affliction the countenance of the good shall be joyfull and such as have sought the way between faith and impiety shall have the countenance covered with earth and dust CHAP. LXXXI The Chapter of Roundnesse containing twenty nine Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and mercifull When the Roundnesse of the Sun shall appeare the Stars fall the Mountains walk the Camel be without burden and without keeper when the beast shall be gathered together the Sea covered with fire Souls returne into bodies * The Arabians buried their daughters alive when they had done a fault the Daughter demand why they put her to death when the book of good and evill shall open when heaven shall cast oft its ornaments the fire of hell appeare and Paradise be opened then shall souls know the good and the evill that they have committed I sweare by the Planets by the obscurity of night and by the brightnesse of day that the words of the Alcoran are the words of the Prophet beloved of God powerfull with his divine Majesty ye
earth that openeth it self and receiveth it to produce its fruits that the Alcoran distinguisheth good from evill and that it was not sent in vain The unbelievers conspire against the Prophet but God shall turn their conspiracie against them and they shal not know it Be thou patient and a while endure the Infidels CHAP. LXXXVII The Chapter of the High and Mighty containing seventeen Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and mercifull Exalt the name of thy Lord high and mighty who hath proportioned all that he hath created he ordaineth what he listeth and guideth into the right way then that are pleasing to him he causeth herbs to spring out of the earth createth them green rendreth them dry and altereth them as to him seems good I will read to thee the Alcoran forget nothing of what thou shalt read but that which God shall will thee to forget he knoweth whatsoever is kept secret in the world and whatsoever is made manifest I will instruct thee in his Law preach the Alcoran it shall be profitable to him that shall have the feare of God before his eye such as shall despise it shall be miserable they shall be precipitated into the fire of hell where they shall not be able either to live or die and he that shall embrace the Law of God and shall be mindfull of his name shall be blessed Pray to God at the time appointed Certainly the righteous shall be heirs of the good things of the earth and those of heaven that are exceeding great and eternall this is written in the antient books of Abraham and Moses CHAP. LXXXVIII Chapter of the Covering containing twenty six Verses written at Mecca Gelaldin intituleth this the Chapter of Judgement because that day the damned shall be covered with fire and fear See Exteri IN the name of God gracious and mercifull Hast thou heard mention of the covering That day shal the countenance of the wicked be covered with affliction they shall enter into fire that is extremely hot they shall drink of boiling water they shall eat nothing but bryers and thorns they shall be extremely lean and famine shall not deliver them from an infinite number of other miseries That day shall the good be filled with content they shall be recompensed for their labours in Paradise they shall hear nothing spoken that may displease them they shall see fountains flow lying upon high beds they shal drink in fair glasses fixed on diamonds upon pillows well disposed and upon pallets well adorned will not the wicked consider the miracle of the she Camell how it was created how heaven was elevated how the mountains were disposed how the earth was extended Preach to the wicked the pains of hell thou art sent to preach to them and not to constrain them God will chastise with his great chastisement him that shall abandon his Law and traduce the Alcoran All men shall be one day assembled before his divine Majesty to give accompt of their actions CHAP. LXXXIX The Chapter of the Morning containing thirty Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God See Kitabel tenoir Ye shall there see the exposition of this passage gracious and mercifull I swear by the Morning by the tenth night of the moneth by even and odd and by the coming of night that the wicked shall be chastised Is there any thing in consideration of this oath that can move men to fly uncleannesse Considerest thou not how God entreated Aad the Son of Arem that dwelt in pavillions supported by columns so big that there were none like to them in his Countrey Knowest thou not how he used Temod who hewed stones and rocks to inhabit the Valley Knowest thou not how he entreated Pharaoh who pierced with pins the feet and hands of such as he gave up to punishment Knowest thou not how he entreated them that heretofore erred from the right way in their own Countreys and that increased their pollution he poured upon them divers torments he observeth all that men do he giveth store of goods to them that he doth not try and taketh them away from such as he proveth The wicked will not give honour to Orphans they will not abstain from eating the bread of the poor they shall give an accompt they too much affect riches when the earth shall tremble and shall overthrow all the buildings when the Angels shall descend in order by the command of thy Lord then shall hell be open to the wicked they shall call to mind what was preached to them in the world and say why did not I observe the Commandements of God during my life they shall be punished more then ever any hath been and shall be more straitly bound then ever any hath been bound It shall be said to the blessed O thou soul that haft observed with courage and without fear the Commandements of God return to thy Lord with content enter into the soâ—â—ry of the blessed enter into Paradise CHAP. XC The Chapter of the City containing twenty Verses written at Mecca Many have entituled this the Chapter of Night IN the name of God gracious and mercifull Mecca I swear by that City which is permitted thee to conquer I swear by the father and the child that we created man in misery thinketh he that there is none stronger then he He saith that he hath expended great wealth doth he think that none hath seen what he hath done He declaims against Corets See Gelaldin Have we not given him two eyes a tongue two lips Have we not given him to see the way of good and of evill he shall be severely chastised but I will not tell thee with what kind of chastisement Wherefore doth he not deliver slaves Wherefore doth he not give to eat to them that are hungry to Orphans and his kindred that are in necessity and to the poor patience and charity are recommended among true-believers they shall be seated at the right hand and such as impugn the Mysteries of our Law shall be at the left hand they shall be shut up in the fire of hell CHAP. XCI The Chapter of the Sun containing fifteen Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and mercifull I swear by the Sun and his light by the Moon and her splendour by the fire and its elevation by the night and its obscurity by Heaven and the Starres thereof by the earth and its plaines by the creation of the soul by the knowledge of vertue and vice that he that shall be purified from his sins shall be most happy and that he who defileth himself with vice shall be most miserable The people of Temod traduced their Prophet because of their obstinacy but certainly they were chastised The Apostle and Prophet of God said unto them Behold the Camell of God suffer it to drink they derided him and slew that Camel God severely punished them he spared not his chastisement against them CHAP.