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
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
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
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
from the Truth God pardoneth not them that have embraced his Law and then have forsaken it having believed in his divine Majestie and are returned again to their impietie declare to such men they shall feel heavie torments Such as obey Infidels to be great in this world extreamly delude themselves greatness proceedeth from God It is written in the Book that was sent to you that the Infidels shall mock you when they shall hear the word of God and you shall obey his Commandements Tarry not in their company if they change not their discourse otherwise you will be like to them God will assemble into the fire of Hell all Infidels and wicked persons Some of them that observe your actions said they were of your partie when any felicitie hapned to you and when the Infidels had advantage over you they said they were with them and that they fought against you God at the day of judgement shall judge the difference that is between you and will not give advantage to Infidels over them that observe his Law The wicked thinke to deceive God but God deceiveth them they are negligent to make their prayers they are hypocrites before the world and remember not his divine Majestie except very few of them uncertain whether they should follow the faithfull or the Infidels hee whom God shall cause to goe astray shall not find the right way Oh ye that believe obey not Infidels to the exclusion of true believers will you give God manifest occasion to chastise you for your sinnes The wicked shall be in the lowest place of Hell and shall find no relief except such as shall repent that shall do good works resigne themselves to God and obey his Commandements they shall be with the true believers and receive from God a very great reward He will not send you miserie if you give him thanks for his favours and obey him he accepteth the acknowledgement of his benefits and knoweth all things He willeth not that what evill is committed be published he that publisheth the evill he doth is very much to blame if you manifest the good you do or if you conceale it and abstain from doing evill he will be mercifull to you he is omnipotent Such as blaspheme against God and his Prophets his Apostles such as would make a distinction between the Commandements of his divine Majestie and the precepts of his Prophets such as affirme they believe in some of the Prophets and believe not in all and take a middle way betweene faith and impietie are indeed impious we have prepared for them ignominious torments but they who believe in God and generally in all his Prophets and Apostles shall be recompenced of God gracious and mercifull They that know the written Law will require thee to cause to dâ—scend from Heaven a Book and written Tables They demanded of Moses greater things and said The Iews Cause us to behold God with our eyes then thunder surprized them by reason of their impiety They adored the Calfe after having had the knowledge of our Commandements neverthelesse we pardoned them and gave to Moses an absolute dominion over them We raised the Mountain over them following our promises anh said to them Enter the gate of the Temple with adoration and humility and no longer transgress the observation of the day of Rest We for this matter received from them a strong promise but they swarved from what they had promised and we cursed them because of their impietie by reason of the murther they committed-without reason on the persons of the Prophets and of the words they uttered viz. Our heart is hardned Contrariwise God imprinted infidelitie in their hearts they shall never believe in his Law except very few of them because of their malice and the blasphemies they vomited against Mary they said The Christians We have slain the Messiah Jesus the Son of Mary the Prophet and Apostle of God Certainly they flew him not neither crucified him they crucified one among them that resembled him such as doubt it are in a manifest error and speak not but through opinion Certainly they flew him not on the contrary God took him up to himself he is Omnipotent and prudent in all his actions Such as have the knowledge of Scripture ought to believe in Jesus before his death he shall be a witnesse against them of their actions at the day of Judgement We have prohibited them that Judaize by reason of their sin things that were permitted them We have prepared for them great torment because they mislead the world from the right way because they take Use that is forbidden them and unjustly eat the substance of their neighbour Such of them as are profound in Learning and all the faithfull believe in the Scriptures both ancient and modern I will give great rewards to them that shall make their prayers at the time appointed that shall pay Tithes and believe in the day of Judgement We have sent thee our inspirations as we sent them to Noah and the Prophets after him as we heretofore sent them to Abraham Ismael Isaac Iacob the Tribes to Jesus Iob Ionas Aaron and to Solomon and gave the Psalter to David We have told thee who were the Prophets that preceded thee but we have not spoken to thee concerning the merits of all them Moses spake to God as his Prophet and Apostle all declared his mercy and preached the torments of Hell to the end men might have no cause of excuse God is Omnipotent and prudent in all his actions He shall be witnesse that the Alcoran was sent to thee with his Commandements the Angels likewise testifie it but it ought to suffice thee that God is witness The Infidels that hindred the people to follow the Law of God were exceedingly erroneous God will not pardon them he will lead them into the path of Hell where they shall remain eternally it is a thing easie to his divine Majestie Oh people A Prophet is come to you who preacheth to you the Truth from the Lord believe him you shall do well if you believe him not know that whatever is in Earth and in Heaven is Gods and that God knoweth whatsoever you do Oh ye that understand the written Law Obey the Commandements of God and speak not of his divine Majestie but with truth the Messiah Jesus the Son of Mary is a Prophet and an Apostle of God his Word and his Spirit which he sent to Mary believe therefore in God and in his Prophets and say not there be three Gods put an end to that discourse you shall do well For there is but one God praysed be God he hath no Son what-ever is in Heaven and in Earth obeyeth him it is sufficient that he is witnesse The Messiah esteemeth it no dishonour to be the servant of God neither the Angel nor the Cherubins He that holdeth it a dishonour to be at his service is too proud he shall assemble all the
Conceale not your testimony lest you be in the number of sinners If you discover those two witnesses to have erred in their testimonie substitute two other in their place although they partake in your succession and take oath of them to be more veritable in their dispositions then the two others otherwise they will offend God and be numbred with the unjust It is better to speake Truth then to be in feare lest your falshood be detected feare God and hearken to his Commandements he guideth not them that disobey him He shall one day assemble his Prophets and Apostles and say unto them what did you answer being questioned concerning my unity they shall reply Lord we are ignorant thou alone knowest all things He shall say to Jesus Oh Jesus Sonne of Mary remember thou my grace towards thee and thy mother I strengthned thee with the Holy Ghost Thou spakest in thy Cradle as a man of forty or fifty yeares thee did I instruct in Scripture and knowledge the Old Testament and the Gospell Thou didst forme of earth the figure of a Bird didst breath upon it and it did flie thou didst cure the borne-blind and the leprous didst revive the dead I delivered thee from the Jews when thou didst preach to them my Commandements and wroughtest miracles which the wicked affirmed to be magick and inchantment Remember how thou didst command thy Apostles to believe in me and obey my Prophet and how they said we believe in one sole God be thou witnesse that we entirely resign our selves to the will of God Remember * Mahomet thou that the Apostles said Oh Jesus Son of Mary can thy Lord send us from Heaven a Table covered with meats to satisfie us Jesus answered them Fear God if you believe in his Law they said we have an appetite and desire to eat of the food of Heaven for the repose of our hearts and to know if thou speakest the truth of which we shall be witnesses Then said he Oh God my Lord cause to descend upon us from Heaven a Table covered with meat this day shall be celebrated by us and them that shall succeed this shall be a signe of thy omnipotency enrich us with thy grace thou possessest all treasure God said to him I will cause to descend from Heaven the food which thou desirest and whosoever shall be impious shall be punished with torments that no man yet hath suffered He shal say at the day of â—udgment oh Jesus Sonne of Mary didst thou enjoyne the people to worship thee and thy mother as two Gods Jesus shall answer praised be thy name I will take heed of speaking what is not thou knowest if I have said it thou art omniscient thou knowest what is in my soul and I have no knowledge of what is in thee I delivered nothing but what thou didst command me to speake to wit Worship God your Lord and mine I am witnesse from the time that I was in the world untill thou didst cause me to dye thou didst observe the deportments of the people thou seest all if thou chastisest men they are thy Creatures if thou dost pardon them thou art omnipotent and wise Then shall God say this day shall good workes be profitable to the righteous they shall enter into Paradise wherein flow many rivers there shall they dwell eternally with my grace in exceeding great felicitie the Kingdome of Heaven of Earth is Gods he is Omnipotent CHAP. VI. The Chapter of Gratifications Gelaldin justifieth this Chapter of Animals containing one hundred and seventy five Verses written at Medina IN the name of God gracious and mercifull Praise bee to God the Creator of Heaven of Earth of darkenesse and of light such as believe not in their Lord are in error See Gelaldin He it is that created you of the dust of the Earth and appointed a prefixed time for your death and resurrection neverthelesse you doubt he is God in Heaven and in Earth he understandeth the secrets of your hearts and whatsoever you make manifest he knoweth the good and evil that you commit that his Commandements have been taught the Inhabitants of Mecca and that they have abjured them they opposed the revealed Truth but shall be chastised for their contempt They consider not how much people we have destroyed in past ages we gave them places to dwell in See Gelaldin more strong and spacious then those which you inhabit sent them about of raine caused fountaines flow in the places of their habitation after this did we extirpate them by reason of their sins and established in their place a new people We have sent to thee the Scripture written in Vellam the unbelievers have handled it with their hands yet say it is evident sorcery and enchantment that they will not believe therein unless they see an Angel descend to confirme it Should we have sent an Angel they had perished by his presence unless we had sent him under the Figure of a man like unto them and cloathed as they are They derided the Prophets and Apostles thy Predecessors derision is fallen upon such as contemned them Say to them goe through the world and consider the end of them that abjure the Law of God say to them to whom appertaineth whatsoever is in Heaven and earth it is Gods He will employ his mercy to save you doubtlesse he will assemble all of you at the day of Judgement Neverthelesse Infidels believe not in his Unity they consider not that whatsoever moveth by night and by day and whatsoever is in the world belongeth to his Divine Majesty who understandeth and knoweth all things Say to them require you other protection then that of God the Omnipotent Creator of heaven and earth who nourisheth all things is nourished by none Say to them I have received a command to embrace the Law of Salvation Be not ye in number of unbelievers I feare to disobey my Lord and feare the torments prepared for the wicked at the day of Judgement he that shall deliver himselfe shall enjoy the grace of God which is supreame felicity If God will punish you none shall deliver you from his punishment if his Will be to doe good to you he is Omnipotent alwayes victorious and hath all power over his Creatures he is most wise and Omniscient Say to them What better testimony is there in the world then that of God Say to them He shall testifie between you and me to whom he hath inspired the Alcoran to instruct you Will any among you that shall learn it say there is any other God but God I will not say so there is but one God and I am innocent from the sin you commit in associating him with a companion equall to him many of them that understand the written Law have knowledge of the truth of the Alcoran their children also know it but such as forsake their owne souls will not believe in God Who more unjust then he that
chains that strictly bind them Such as shall believe in him that shall honour him that shall defend him from his enemies and follow the light that we shall send him shall be happy Say unto the people I am indeed a messenger sent from God to whom appertaineth the kingdome of the Heavens The Turks believe that Mahomet could neither write nor read and of Earth there is but one God alone he giveth life and death as seemeth good to him Believe in God and in his Prophet who can neither read nor write Such as shall believe in God in his Word and follow the Prophet shall not erre they shall follow a very good way There are some of the children of Israel that knew the truth and judge with equity We divided them into twelve Tribes when Moses required drink for his people we inspired him to strike the rock with his rod whence flowed twelve fountains and every one knew the place where he should drink we covered them with the shaddow of clouds we caused Manna and Quailes to descend upon them and commanded them to eat of the good things which we gave them They did not hurt us when they murmured but afflicted themselves This is the holy land It was said to them Dwell in this City and eat therein what shall please you enter at the gate with adoration See Gelaldin and beg pardon of your sinnes I will pardon you and will augment the graces of the righteous nevertheless the wicked that were among them altered the words that were spoken to them and perverted them and we sent upon them our indignation from Heaven because of their impiety Ask of them concerning a village that was upon the shore of the Sea whose inhabitants observed not the Sabbath and fished on the day of rest they saw in that day Serpents appear upon the water and other dayes they saw none Thus are tryed them because of their disobedience A party of them said Fish not O people it is lost labor God shall destroy and chastise them with grievous torments then their Doctors said They shall implore pardon of the Lord perhaps they will fear to offend him another time When they rejected what we taught them we saved such among them as abstain from evil-doing and grievously afflicted the wicked because of their disobedience when they gloried in their sin we said to them Be ye contemned and abhorred as Apes thy Lord shall send to them at the day of Judgement persons to torment them he is exact in punishing the wicked and mercifull to the righteous We sent upon them good and evill to prove them peradventure they will be converted Their posterity left a progeny heirs of their doctrine nevertheless they returned to their sins and say the Lord shall pardon them they beg pardon of him and return daily to their sin See Gelaldin Shall not account be required from them of what is ordained in the Scripture To wit not to speak of God but with truth They have read the Truth but have not comprehended it Paradise is onely for the righteous I will not deprive them of recompense who make their prayers at the time appointed and observe what is contained in the Scriptures Remember thou how we raised a mountain over them to shelter them and how they believed it would fall upon their heads wee said to them Learne with affection what we teach you and remember perhaps you will feare disobedience Thy Lord caused to come out of Adams reins all his posteritie and asked them saying Am not I your Lord they answered yes thou art our Lord we know it well They cannot therefore say at the day of Judgement That they knew not his unitie they shall say for excuse Our fathers adored many gods before us we are their posterity wilt thou destroy us because of their iniquity Thus doe I discover my mysteries to men it may be they will be converted Relate to them the history of him that saw our miracles he was dispoiled of his understanding the Devill followed it and he was in the number of the wretched Had we so pleased we had exalted him through the knowledge of our wonders among the Doctors but he crouched to the ground and followed his owne appetite like to a chafed dog if thou chase him with choller he putteth forth his tongue if thou leave him at rest he will still put forth his tongue like to the Infidels that contemn our instructions if thou recount to them our miracles or do not recount perhaps they will be converted perhaps they will not be converted and shall be like such as have abjured our Commandements and injured their own souls He whom God guideth is well guided and he whom God mis-leadeth is in the number of the miserable We have created Hell to punish Devils and men they have hearts and comprehend noâ— the truth they have eyes and see it not ears have they and heare it not they are like to beasts and worse then beasts they are altogether ignorant The most beautifull names of the world appertaine to God Beseech him by the beauty of his name and depart from them that depart from the truth through the names that they impose on their Idols they shall be chastised after their demerits Some there be that follow the truth and judge with equity I will by degrees punish them that shall reject our Commandements when they shall think thereon I will defer their punishment some time because my wrath is violent Remember they not that they said Mahomet is possest of the Devill On the contrary he declareth the joyes of Paradise and preacheth the torments of Hell Consider they not the Kingdome of Heaven and of Earth which God hath created of nothing The fear of death shall arrive before they have acknowledged their sins in what will they believe if they have not faith in the Alcoran He whom God shall mis-lead shall find none to guide him he shall leave Infidels confounded in their disobedience They shall enquire of thee concerning the hour and day of Judgement Say unto them No man knoweth it but God but the greatest part of the world believe it not I have not power to do either good or evill of my self if God do not permit it If I knew the future I should provide wealth to preserve me from poverty I am sent only to declare the joyes of Paradise and preach the torments of Hell to them that believe in God he it is that created you of one sole person and created his spouse of his rib to dwell with her When she doubted of being with child she ceased not to travell as she was wont but when her conception rendred her heavy they both besought God their Lord and said Lord give an happy progeny to the end we may be in the number of them that return thee thanks for thy favours When God gave them a son a râ—ghteous man they associated him in what
attend the issue we will attend it with you whatsoever is in heaven and in earth appertains to God all men shall be assembled before him worship him resign your selves to his Will he knoweth whatsoever the people doth CHAP. XII The Chapter of Joseph containing an hundred and thirteene Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and mercifull I am the mercifull God These signes are the signes of the Booke which distinguisheth good from evill We have caused to discend from heaven the Alcoran written in the Arabique tongue peradventure yee will learne it I deliver unto thee in the Alcoran one of the best things that I have inspired into thee Thou were before the comming thereof in the number of the ignorant Remember thou that Joseph said to his father My father I saw in a dreame eleven Stars the Sunne and the Moone I saw them adoring me My sonne said his father discover not thy dreame to thy brothers they will conspire against thee the devill is an open enemy to men thou shalt be elected of the Lord in this world he shall teach thee the explication of Dreams he shall accomplish his grace upon thee and upon the lineage of Jacob as he did accomplish it upon thy fathers Abraham and Isaac the Lord knoweth all things and is most wise The History of Ioseph shall serve for example to posterity remember thou how his brothers said our father loveth our brother Ioseph more then all us together he is in an exceeding great error let us kill Ioseph and cast him into some secret place remote from us his absence will render the face of our father more gentle towards us after his death we will be converted One of them said you shall not doe well to kill him but cast him into the well some passengers will take him and carry him into an unknowne Countrie They said to their Father Father wherefore doest thou not send Ioseph into the Fields with us Wee will bee very carâ—full hee shall sport and recreate himselfe I feare said hee that yee will neglect to pâ—eserve him dost thou feare said they that a wolf should devoure him in our presence and that we want strength to defend him In the morning they led him with them and cast him into a Well We inspired him to prophesie to them what should befall them for the mischief they acted but they wanted knowledge to comprehend it they in the evening returned to their fathers house with eyes full of dissembled teares and said unto him father we sported and ran who should run the best Ioseph remained with our baggage a wolf came that devoured him thou wilt not believe us although we speak the truth then they shewed him his shirt which they had sprinkled with blood it is you that hath done it said he you shall answer it before God he is my protector and was patient without lamenting There past that day * The Levantins well a Caravan a number of persons travelling together a Caravan near to that Well who desiring to draw water to drink let downe a bucket on which Ioseph took hold to get out they gave him cloathes led him away secretly and sold him at a good rate for ready money they would not kill him in which they were honest men He that bought him in Egypt commanded his wife to have care of him that he might one day be usefull for their service and be to them instead of a son Thus did we establish Ioseph in the country of Egypt and taught him the exposition of dreams thy Lord is Omnipotent but few men know him when Ioseph came to the age of manhood we gave him knowledge and prudence thus doe we reward the righteous His Masters wife became amorous of his beauty she one day shut him into her chamber and solicited him with love God defend me said he to betray my Master and be unchaste he was in the number of the righteous and fled to the door his Mistrisse ran after him and to stay him tore his shirt through the back she met her husband behind the door to whom she said what other thing doth he merit who would dishonour thine house then to be imprisoned and severely chastised Lord said Ioseph she sollicited me that infant which is in the cradle and of thy parentage shall be witnesse Then the infant in the cradle said if Iosephs shirt be torne before she hath spoken truth and Ioseph is a lyar if the shirt be rent behind Iosepâ— hath delivered the truth and she a lye then her husband bâ—held Iosephs shirt torne behind and knew that it was extreame malice and said to Ioseph take heed to thy self and beware this act be not divulged doe thou speaking to his wife implore pardon for thy fault thou art truly guilty The women of the City said among themselves that the rich mans wife was amorous of his Slave and that she had sollicited his love and had erred from the right way which she understanding made them an exceeding fair feast and caused Ioseph to enter the Parlour where they sate while they carved their meat they were so surprised and entangled with Iosephs beauty that they instead of carving their meat cut their fingers O God! said they this is not a man but an Angel then said she unto them behold him whom I loved with so much passion she another time importuned him to satisfie her desire and perceiving that he would not condescend to her will menaced him with the prison and to make him miserable O God! said Ioseph I had rather be a prisoner then do what she desireth deliver me from her malice defend me from inclining to her lubricity and from being in the number of the wicked his Lord heard his prayer he understandeth and knoweth all things This woman seeing Iosephs resolution judged it requisite to imprison him for some time he was put prisoner with two men one of which told him that he had dreamed that he prest grapes to make wine the other said that he dream'd that he caried bread upon his head which the birds did eat they demanded of him the interpretation of their dreams because he seemed to them to be a good man he said to them before ye break fast I wil interpret your dreams I wil first tell you what God hath taught me and how I quit abandon the law of Infidels embrace the Law of our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob we ought not worship many gods such as believe in the unity of God are endued with his grace but few men give him thanks O Prisoners who hath more power Idols or one sole God who is omnipotent The gods which ye adore are but Idols whom ye and your fathers call by such a name as seemeth good to you ye have no reason to worship them God doth not enjoyn you thâ—s he commandeth you to worship him alone this is the right way but the greatest part of the world
Egypt and inquire tâ—dings of your two brethren dispair not of the Spirit of God none dispaire of Gods Spirit but the wicked When they came unto Ioseph they said unto him The famine that is in our Country hath extreamly afflicted us it hath often constrained us to come to buy Corn thou of thy favour hast made us good measure thou hast caused our money to be restored for alms God will reward thee he recompenceth such as are Alms-givers He said unto them Ye remember what ye did unto your brother Ioseph They replyed Certainly thou art not Ioseph I am Ioseph said he and behold my brother Benjamin God hath given us his grace he rewardeth him that hath his fear before his eyes and is patient in his afflictions he depriveth not the righteous of recompence God said they hath poured his favours upon us in saving thee whom we have exceedingly offended Be not said he ashamed God this day pardoneth you that sinne he is gracious and mercifull return to your Father and bear to him this shirt cast it upon his face hee shall recover sight and return hither with him and with your whole family The Caravan was then halfe way upon return when Iacob said to them that attended him I smell the odor of my sonne Ioseph you deride me but what I speak is most true They told him that he was still in his old error some dayes following one of his sonnes arrived with tidings of Ioseph and cast the shirt that he had given him upon him and incontinently he recovered his sight and said Did I not alwayes tell you that I knew what ye knew not they said Our Father pardon us and ask the forgiveness of God for us who have exceedingly offended him He answered I will beg pardon of God for you he is gracious and mercifull When they arrived before Ioseph he took his Father by the hand saying Enter without feare into Egypt caused him to fit down and his brethren fell prostrate before him My Faâ—â—er said he behold there the interpretation of mine â—d dream God hath rendred it true hee hath favoured â—e in delivering me from prison and conducting you â—ther he hath put an end to the jealousie which the deâ—ll had procured between me and my brethren The word is liberall to whom seemeth good to him he knowâ—h what is necessary for his people and is most prudent â—n what he ordaineth Lord thou hast given me wealth â—nd knowledge to interpret dreams Creator of Heaven â—nd Earth thou at my protector give me the grace to die in thy Law and place me in the number of the righteous This History of Joseph He speakeâ—h to Mahomet is an ancient History which I relate to thee Thou wert not with his brethren when they conspired against him nevertheless the greatest part of the people are incredulous Demand no reward of them for having preached the Alcoran it instructeth onely the wise How many signes be there in Heaven and Earth of the unity of God yet the people believe not therein and most of them adore Idols assuredly God shall punish them at an unexpected houre and in a time which they know not Say unto them Behold the right way I call to the way of Salvation and Light such as follow me I return thanks to God for that I am not in the number of unbelievers We sent aforetime none but men to instruct the people will not men consider what hath been the end of the wicked that were before them Paradise is for them that are righteous will yee not be converted They caused the Prophets to lose all hopes of their Conversion and believed them to be lyars but we protected them and delivered from their malice such as seemed good to us nothing shall exempt the wicked from the punishment of their pains they shall serve for example to men of spirit The Alcoran containeth no blasphemies it confirmeth the ancient Scriptures and reacheth True-believers the way of Salvation CHAP. XIII The Chapter of Thunder See Gelaldin and Bedaoi containing fourty three Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and mercifull I am the most wise and mercifull God These precepts are the precepts of the Book sent to thee from the Lord it is a thing most true but few men incline to believe it It is sent from God who raised Heaven without a prop and with a column that appeareth and sitteth on his throne disposing all things He causeth the Sunne and Moon to move until the day appointed he disposeth all things at his will and manifesteth to men the signes of his omnipotency Peradventure you will believe in the Resurrection of the flesh He it is that hath extendeth the Earth raised the Mountains caused the Rivers to flow who created of all sorts of Fruits the Male and Female and covereth the day with the obscurity of the night These things are signes of his unity to such as consider them He hath created many fields of divers sorts and Gardens filled with Grapes and many different Fruits he created Datetroes thick as Groves and Forrests and others that are scattered through the fields some are moystened with waters and others have a more pleasing taste These things are signes of his unity to such as consider them Thou art amazed at the lies of Infidels be astonished at their discourses when they deny the Resurrection and say What shall God yet once again create us of the dust of the Earth when we shall be earth shall we be a new people They are impious they shall have yoaks upon their necks and shall remain eternally in the fire of Hell they precipitate themselves into eternall pains and contemn the mercy of God so did their predecessors but God is gracious to such as convert Chastise severely the obstinate Infidels They have said We will not believe in the Prophet unless we see some miracle to appear Say unto them I am not sent but to preach the word of God He hath sent persons to every Nation to teach them the right way nothing is hid from him in the world he knoweth what women bear in their womb he knoweth the time and period of every thing the present past and future hee is great and omnipotent He understandeth what you keep secret and what ye make manifest hee knoweth where they be who coveâ— themselves with the obscurity of night and them that travell in the clearness of day every one hath his guardian by his commandement who observeth what he doth and depriveth none of grace that hath not offended his divine Majesty and none can hinder him to punish whom it seemeth good to him He it is who giveth you to see the lightning which terrifieth men and nourisheth his Creatures by the rain which he causeth to fall he created the clouds charged with moysture causeth thunder to make a noise â—arâ—eth the Thunder-bolt and striketh whom it pleaseth him the Angels tremble in his presence yet do
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
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
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
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
given you sight hearing and sense but few among you return him thanks he it is that hath created you of earth ye shall one day be assembled before him to be judged he it is that giveth life and death and maketh the difference of day and night will you not honor him neither consider On the contrary they have said as did their predecessors wherefore shall we die our bones shall be dust and shall we rise again This was heretofore promised to our fathers and to us certainly it is but an old song Say unto them to whom appertaineth the earth and whatsoever is in the earth if ye know its Creator and King They will say it is Gods Say unto them know ye not then that he that created yâ—u can raise you again who is Lord of the seven heavens who possesseth the throne of heaven they will say it is God say unto them will ye not fear then to worship any other God but him Say unto them who is King of all things who sustaineth them and is sustained of none They will say that it is God Say unto them why then do ye deceive your selves we have taught them the truth but they have rejected it and said that God had a sonne were there another God with God the one would undoe what the other hath done and they would rise the one against the other Praised be God what they affirm is not true God knoweth that is past the present and the future he hath no companion Say Lord give me o see the effect of all that thou hast promised to them and put me not among the unjust deliver us from evill and do good to us I know their impiety Lord deliver me from the temptations of the devill deliver me from their malice when any one among them dieth he saith Lord permit me to return into the world I will do better then I have done there is no return it is to speak in vain there is an obstacle behinde them that detaineth them untill the day of Judgment when the Trumpet shall sound nothing shall retard them they shall not glory nor discourse with each other the ballance of the blessed shall be heavy with good works and the ballance of the cursed shal be light of good works Have not my Commandments beene preached unto you wherefore did ye contemn them They shall say Lord our misery prevailed over us we were mislead Lord deliver us from this misery the contrary was promised to us truly we are exceedingly too blame It shall be said unto them depart into the fire and never speak to come out Many of them that worship me say Lord we believe in thee pardon our sins thou art mercifull Ye have derided them O yee wicked and have despised my Commandements but I will reward them for their perseverance and they shall be blessed It shall be said to those that rise again how many years have ye remained in the earth they shall answer we have bin there a day or some dayes aske of the Angels appointed to keep the accompt ye have bin there but a little time did ye not know it do you believe that I have created and assembled you before me in vain Praise and exalt God King of Truth there is no God but be he is King of Heaven he is void of reason that invoketh another God with Him he shall give accompt of his actions and the Infidells shall be miserable Say Lord pardon the sins of the righteous thou art the great mercifull CHAP. XXIV The Chapter of Light containing seventy and foure Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and mercifull We have sent this Chapter containing our Commandments clear and intelligible peradventure ye will learn them The †Is a man or boy kept unlawfully Catamite and the Concubine shall be whipt with an hundred stripes take heed lest clemency cause you to forget the precepts of the Law of God believe in his divine Majesty and the day of Judgement Some of the True-believers shall be witnesses of their punishment The Catamite lying with a Concubine or an Infidell the Concubine lying with a Catamite or Infidell these things are forbidden the True believers He that shall accuse an honest woman of adultery shall be whipt with twenty four stripes unlesse he prove his accusation by four witnesses and shall never be credited in testimony They that do such things are without the obedience of God except those that repent and satisfie what they owe God shall be to them gracious and mercifull They that shall accuse their Wives of adultery and have no witnesses shall swear four times that they speak the truth and shall the fifth time call for the curse of God to be upon them if they be lyars The Wife shall be exempt from punishment if she swear four times that her husband is a lyar and if the fifth time she pray that the wrath and indignation of God may be upon her See Gelaldâ—n if what her husband hath said be true In this manner doth God gratifie you that ye may understand the truth he is most gracious and most wise That Troup that made defection from the True-believers with a lye and false testimony did you no harme on the contrary they did advantage you every one shall bear the burden of his sinnes the most mâ—licious among them shall be thrown headlong into the torments of Hel This is Abdallabin Selouk It was an happinesse that ye heard the sense of the believers from their own mouth when the said that those men lyed impudently if they had not presented those four witnesses they had found none other One of Mahomets wives was accused of adultery with Safoiian by Mahomets enemies they are lyers without the grace and mercy of God they should have already felt great torments in this world and in the other because of that imposture When they spake of what they were ignorant ye deemed it to be nothing but it is an exceeding sin before God if when ye heard it yee said that to speak of those things did not concerne you ye knew it to be an imposture God forbiddeth you to relapse if ye beleive in his Law he thus declareth to you his pleasure he is omniscient and most prudent Such as desire to cast obloquie among the True believers shaâ—l be rigorously chastised in this world and in the other God knoweth that of which you are ignorant Had not God bin favourable to you he had chastised you in burning fury he is gracious and mercifull Oh ye that are Tru-believers follow not the footsteps of the Devill he will enjoyn you vice sin had not God gratified you with his mercy not any among you should have been purged from that imposture but God purifieth whom he seeth good he beareth all hnoweth all your intentions The most rich and powerfull among you have not sworn to do no good to their parents the poor or
is in this fire and whatsoever is about it is blessed praise is due to God Lord of the Vniverse I am God omnipotent and eternall Cast thy staffe on the ground When Moses beheld his staffe to move as it had been alive He went back very sorrowfull and returned no more Feare not that staffe my messenger and my Prophets have no fear in my presence he that shall be converted shall finde me gracious and mercifull Put thine hand into thy pocket it shal come forth white without harm it shal be one of the nine marks of my omnipotency Pharoah and his Ministers were altogether erroneous when they saw my Miracles they said that thâ—y were but sorcery they disposed them and increased their impiety Consider what is the end of the wicked and how they have been destroyed we gave knowledg to David to Solomon they said God who hath gratifyed us above many of his servants that have beleivd in his omnipotency Solomon was Davids heire and said to the people we understand the Language of birds we know whatsoever can be known it is an exceeding great grace Solomons Army being one day assembled before him composed of men Devils and birds he lead them to the valley of Pismires a Pismire their Queen cryed out oh Pismires enter into your houses least Solomon and his troups trample you under foot without knowledge of it Solomon hearing these words remained sometime without speaking and in the end began to laugh saying Lord assist me that I may give thee thanks for the benefits and graces which thou didst conferr upon my Father If I do well thou wilt accept it place me through thy mercy in the number of them that exalt thy glory He called for the †A Bird so called Whoope and said wherefore see I not the Whoope is she in the number of the absent I will punish and put her to death if she have not a lâ—â—â—â—ll excuse not long after she humbled her selfe before Solomon who asked her whence she came she answered I come from seeing what thou seest not I come from the Kingdom of Saba whence I bring certain tidings I have found a woman their Queen who hath whatsoever is necessary for a King she hath a great and magnificent Thron I have found that she with her Subjects adore the Sun the Devill caused them to delight in this their Action he hath seduced them from the right way and they shall be in Error untill they worship one God who sendeth rain from Heaven maketh the earth to produce plants and fruits who knoweth whatsoever is in the hearts of men and what they utter God! There is but one God Lord of the Vniverse Solomon said I shall soon see if thou speak truth or whither thou be in the number of the lyars goe bear to her this letter and obsâ—rve what she and her people shall answer At her arivall the Queen said to her Ministers Oh ye that are raised to dignity in my dominions a Letter is given me from Solomon of this tenour In the name of God gracious and mercifull rise not up against me and obey me Give me counsell what I ought to do I will do nothing without your advice and what you see not with your eyes They answered Our welfare and misery depend on thee command whatsoever shall seem good to thee and we will obey thee She said When Kings enter a City they introduce many disorders they abase and humble the chiefe of the Inhabitants and the most eminent if Solomon his people come hither they will use us in the like maner I think it requisit to send to him an Ambassador with some presents perhaps he will take a resolution to return When the Ambassador arrived in Solomons presence he said unto him Do ye bring me presents God hath bestowed on me more riches then on you presents rejoyce you because ye love them Return to them that sent you I will go visit them with forces so great that they shall not be able to resist I will drive them out of their dominions and they shall be miserable if they obey me not Then he said to his people Sits who will bring to me the Royall Seat of that woman before she and her subjects obey me One of the Devils said unto him I I will bring it before thou arise from thy place I am strong enough to bear it I will carry it carefully One of them that attended Sâ—lomon Gelaldin saith he knew the name of God who knew the Scriptures said I will bring it to thee in the twinkling of an eye When Solomon beheld this Throne before him he said Behold here a favor of God to try if â— would acknowledg his benefits He that returneâ—h thanks to God for his graces performeth his duty he rejecteth him that is ingratful I will try if she followeth the right way or whether she be in the number of the seduced They changed something in her Royall seat to try if she would know it when she arrived in Solomons presence At her arrival they shewed it her and asked if it resembled her own she replyed It resembleth it This Quee was called Balkis as if it were the same She had knowledge of the right way but that which the people and she adored instead of God had seduced them from the obedience of his divine Majesty They spake to her to enter into a gallery See Gelaldin when she beheld the pavement she believed it to be water and in lifting up her robe fearing to wet it discovered her Legg Solomon told her that the pavemenâ— was of pollished glass and exhorted her to embrace the Law of God Then she said Lord I am too blame in having offended thee I am obedient with Solomon to the Commandments of the God of the Universe We sent Salhe to Temod his people to exhort them to worship one God he said unto them O people flye to the mercy of God if ye implore pardon of him ye shal be pardoned They said wouldst thou draw us into thine error into the erroâ— of them that are with theâ— He said God shall chastise you ye are seditious They were nine persons in the City that defâ—led the earth and did no good they said among them Let us this night kill the Prophet and his adherents we will say to them that seeke him That we saw him not neither them that slew him and will swear that we speak truth They were cunning but we were more subtle then they and they knew it not Consider what was the Issue of their stratagems we destroyed them with their followers and their houses are become desart because of their impiety This shall serve for example to them that have knowledge of Our omnipotency We served the Prophâ—t and all the True-beleivers that were with him Remember then the History of Lot who said to his Citizens Will ye alway defile your selvs in uncleannesse in
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
Mahomet are two aparent Sorcerers when they said that they believed neither Prophet nor Scripture Say unto them bring any book from God that better teacheth the right way then the Old Testament and more savingly then the Alcoran I will follow it if ye speak the truth If they be not heard when they shall require this book know that they follow only their own appetites and their impiety who is more erroneous then he that followeth but his own passion and is not guided of God he guideth not Infidells Certainly we have sent them the Alcoran peradventur they wil believe in it they to whom we heretofore sent this book believe in the contents thereof when they heare it read they say we believe in those words it is the very truth that proceedeth from God we believe in the unity of his divine Majesty they shall be doubly rewarded because they have persevered in well-doing they have overcome evill through their good deeds and have expended in good works part of the wealth that we gave them When they heard the faith evill spoken of they withdrew themselves took leave of the company and said ye shall answer for your and we for our actions Regard not the ignorant thou shalt not convert all them that thou shalt desire to convert God converteth and guideth into the right way whom he pleaseth and knoweth such as serve him They said if I follow with thee the right way I must forsake my Country Shall not I establish them in a place of safety where they shall find all sorts of fruits to enrich them but the greaâ—est part of the people know it not How many Cities have we destroyed that took pleasure in their evill life No man inhabited them any more except very few and we became heirs of their riches God shall not destroy Mecca untill he have sent an Apostle to instruct the Inhabitants thereof in the right way God destroyeth not a Ciâ—y if the Inhabitants be not unjust and disobey not his Commandments The wealth of this world which ye pâ—ssesse pleaseth you but the riches of Heaven are much better eternall will ye not understand it Have we not kept promise with them to whom we promised Paradise and with them to whom we promised the riches of this world in the end were in the number of the damned Be thou mindfull of the day when thy Lord shal cal them say unto them where are your Idols which ye beleived to be my Companions the chief of them shal say Lord behold those that were seduced like us we are innocent of their Idolatry they adored not us they shall speak that day to the Idolaters to invoke their Idols but they shal not hear them they shal be visibly chastizâ—d on Earth Bâ— thou mindfull of the day when thy Lord shall call them and say unto them wherefore have ye not beleived my Apostles and my Prophets they shall be confounded and remâ—in dumbe He that shall be converted and do good works shall be happy Thy Lord createth what pleaseth him and maketh choyce of what seemeth to him good Praised be God he hath no companion he knoweth what is in the hearts of men and what they make manifest he is God there is no God but he praise is due to him in the beginning in the end he commandeth over all things all people shall one day be assembled before him to be judged Say unto them Had God given a continuall night even until the day of judgment what other God is there that is able to you give light will ye not hear me had God given you a continual day until the day of Judgment what other god could have given the night to refresh you will ye not consider his benefits his grace he hath created the night for repose and the day for labour pâ—radventure ye will give him thanks Be thou mindfull of the day when thy Lord shall call the Infidels and shall say unto them where are the Idols that ye worshipped We wil call a witness of every Nation and will say to the Idolaters bring your arguments that may prove the plurality of Gods Ye shall this day know your blasphemies and that there is but one God Caron was of the people of Moses he was proud because of his riches vve gave him so great treasures that many men were burdened when they conveyed away the Keyes Remember how his people said unto him Rejoyce not above measure in thy great wealth God abhorreth the that rejoyce without reason Beg of him paradise with thy riches forget not to do good in this world give almes of the substance which God hath given thee be not disobedient to him on Earth he abhorreth those that disobey him these riches were given thee because thou diâ—st instruct the people in the Old Testament knowest thou not that God destroyed in times past many rich and opulâ—nt persons Who is more strong more powerfull more rich then God He will not enquire of the wicked the number of their sinnes he knoweth all and the accompt Caron one day went forth in publique with all his retinue They that affected the wealth of this world said Would to God we had as much wealth as Caron he is happy but the more knowing among them said ye are unhappy the grace of God is more advantageous to them that believe in his Law and do good works then all the treasures of Caron none shall receive his grace but such as shall obey him and persevere in obedience to his Commandments VVe deprived Caron of all his treasures and none was able to protect him against us then they that had coveted his riches said oh miracle God giveth to and depriveth of wealth whom to him seemeth good Had not God given us his grace we had bin necessitous certainly the wicked shall be miserable I will bestow Paradise on them that hate vanity and disorder on the Earth and shall have my feare before their eyes whosoever shall do good shall find good who doth evill shall be chastised after his demerits He that hath taught thee the Alcoran shall cause thee to return to the * Mecca See Gelaldin place that thou desirest Tell the Inhabitants of that place that God knoweth them that teach the right way and such as go astray Thou didst not expect the Alcoran it is a speciall grace of thy Lord assist not the Infidels and take heed least they seduce thee after having learnt what hath bin taught thee Preach to the people the unity of God Be not in the number of them that belive many Deities adore God alone there is no God but hâ— al things shal have end except his face he commandeth over every thing and all men shall one day appear before him to be judged CHAP. XXIX The Chapter of the Spider containing sixty nine verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I am God most wise Men
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
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
have done good works say unto them I require none other recompense for the pains that I take in preaching to you then to love my kindred he that shall do any good work shall be rewarded God is mercifull and good works are pleasing to him Will they say that thou hast blasphemed against God If it please God he shall hinder thee to hear this discourse or will imprint patience in thine heart he abolisheth lies and confirmeth the truth through his words he knoweth whatsoever is in the hearts of men he accepteth the conversion of his creatures he pardoneth their sins and knoweth all their actions he heareth the prayers of the faithfull that do good works and augmenteth his grace upon them but Infidels shall undergo the rigours of eternall pains Had God equally enriched all his creatures they had bin in confusion upon Earth he enricheth whom he pleaseth he seeth and knoweth all he sendeth rain when men despair of his grace he is the protector of believers and praise is due to him eternally the creation of the Heavens and of the earth and of all that moveth betweene them is a sign of thine omnipotency If evil befal you believe that ye have deserved it neverthelesse he pardoneth you many things ye cannot escape his punishment on earth none is able to protect you against him The Vesâ—el that runneth upon the water big as a mountain is a token of his omnipotency to them that persevere in his Law and acknowledg his graces He shall reprove the wicked for their sins and shall pardon many They that dispute against his Commandments cannot escape their punishent the riches that ye possesse are the riches of the earth the riches that God bestoweth on them that trust in him are eternal They that depart from mortall sins that repent to have committed them that beg of God to be heard and persevere in their supplications they that take councel and consult among them what they ought to do that employ in good works part of the wealth that God hath given them that implore his help in their afflictions such as do good and such as commit evil shall be recompensed and punished according to their works God abhorreth Infidels ye have no power over them that implore his assistance in their affliction and repent your power extendeth over them that doin justice to the people and dâ—sobey on earth the Commandments of his divine Majesty they shall suffer great torments Such as persevere in well-dâ—iâ—g and pardon their Neighbour do what God hath Commanded He whom God shall mâ—slâ—ad shall finde none to guide him Thou shalt see that the Infidels shall ask if they may return into the world when they shall behold the fire of Hâ—l thou shalt see them flie with exâ—ream fear of eternal ignominy they shall look awry upon hell and the believers shall see that the wicked that have lost heâ—r Souls that have misled their family and all the impious shall be eternally damned none shall be able to save them and he that God shall mislead shall not finde the right way Say unto them beg pardon of God before the â—ay come that ye shall finde no way to return into the world nor excuse for your sins If they disobey thee we have not sent thee to be their Tutor thou art sent only to preach unto them When we give to man any pâ—osperity be rejoyceth and when affliction befalleth him â—e is ingratâ—ful for the grace of his Lord King of the heavens and earth God giveth children sons and daughters â—o whom he pleaseth he knoweth all things and is omnipotent he speaketh not to man but by inspiration and parable without being seen he sendeth his Prophets and Apostles into whom he inspireth what pleaseth him he knoweth all things and is omnipotent Thus have we sent thee our spirit to teach thee our Commandments thou knowest not before what was written in the Alcoran neither the misteries of faith we have sent it to thee to be a Light to the world I will guide into the way of Salvation whom I please I wil giude him into the way of the Lord to whom belongeth all that is in Heaven and Earth and who disposeth of all things CHAP. XLIII The Chapter of Ornament containing eighty and nine Verses written at Mecca Exteri intituled This Chapter the Chapter of Gold IN the name of God gracious and mercifull God is prudent and wise I swear by the book that teacheth to do well that we have sent it in the Arabique tongue peradventure ye shall understand the Alcoran it is written in in our originall Booke majestique and mysterious Shall I conceal from you the book of Salvation if ye be wicked How many Prophets and Apostles have we sent in past Ages whom unbeleivers have despised We destroyed the most powerful among them and all have incurred the pain of their predecessors If thou ask of them who created Heaven and Earth they will say that it is the omnipoten who knoweth all things Who hath extendeth the earth under you Who established the wayes to guide you It is God he causeth the rain to descend from Heaven in your necessity he maketh the dead drie and barren fields to revive in like manner shall the dead come out of their Sepulchers He it is that created whatsoever is in the world of divers kinds and Species and created the SHIPS and BEAST to carry you Remember the grace of your Lord say praised be he that created â—or us these things we had not the power to create them They all shall return before the Lord to be judged The Infidels have divided God into many parts Certainly he that saith that there are many Gods is impious hath he appointed you to say that the Angels which he hath created are his daughters seeing that he giveth you sonnes When it is declared to some Infidels that a Daughter is born to him he is not satisfied he desireth to have a son will they say that God adorneth himselfe and taketh ornaments to beautifie him like their Idols It is a manifest error they say that the Angels that worship God are the daughters of his divine Majesty I will write what they say and will râ—quire of them aâ— accompt of their discourse at the day of Iudgement They have said had it pleased God we had not adored the Angels They know not what they say and ignorantly blaspheme do they observe any Scripture that hath been taught them heretofore On the contrary they say that their fathers lived in like manner and that they follow their steps they have said as much to all the Prophets that were sent unto them When thou spakest to them to observe â—hat is contained in the Alcoran and to abandon the Idols which their fathers worshipped they answered that they believed neither in thee nor in thy mission but we avenged our selves upon them Consider what is the end of blasphemeâ—s Remember thou that Abraham said to his
this present ye shall this day be punished in this fire because of your pridâ— crimes Remember thou the brother of Aad who preached the torments of HELL in the Valley of HECAF his words was heard in his time and are come to popâ—sterity viz. worship â—ut one God alone iâ— you do otherwise I apprehend for you the day of Judgment they answered him art thou come to hinder us to adore our gods let us â—ee the torments that thou preachest to us if thou art true he laid God knoweth in what time he will chastise you I preach to you what hath been appoâ—nted me to preach but I see that ye are obstinate When they beheld a black câ—oud appear which approached the place of their habitation they said behold a cloud that shall give us rain on the contrary it is the punisâ—ment that ye have demaned it is full of an in pâ—â—â—ous wind that shall destroy you though the Commandment of God in the Morning their houses were found empty of inhabitants Thus God chastiseth the wicked ye dwell in the places which they inhabited they had hearts eyes and cares but their hearts eyes ears were to them unpreâ—ntabâ—e the evill which they despised befell them when they neglected to observe the commandments of God We have destroyed whatsoever is round about Mecca and have made the effects of our omnipotency to appear paradventure the inhabitants thereof will be converted The Idols that they worshiped and those to whom they sacrificed did not save them on the contrary they forsook them because of their blasphemies-Remember thou that we sent to thee devils that desired to hear a Lecture of the Alcoran when they heard thee they said Hark he begins and when thou madest an end they returned with exceeding great fear and said to their companions we have heard a Lecture of a Booke sent from heaven after the book of Moses it confirmeth the ancient Scriptures teacheth the truth and guideth the people into the way of salvation O people hear him that calleth you to the Law of God and to the observance of his Commandments believe him God shall pardon your sins and deliver you from the pains of hell such as shall not hearken to him shall not escape the punishment of their crimes and shall be deprived of protection at the day of Judgment such men are seduced from the way of salvation Considâ—r they not that God who created heaven and earth did not labour in creating them that he is able to give life and death and is omniponent Be thou mindfull of the day that the Infidels shall desire to get out of the fire of hell it shall be said unto them are not the pains that were preached to you true they shall say yes Lord it shall be said to them taste then the torments which ye have merited through your impiety Persevere thou as the Prophets thy pedecessors persevered Be not impatient till thou see the punishment of Infidels they shall see it when they shall rise againe and shall believe that they have been but an hour in their sepulchres This is that which God hath commanded to preach he shall destroy those only that disobey his Commandments CHAP. XLVII The Chapter of the Combat containing fourscore and eight Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious merciful Good works are vain unprofitable to the wicked and to them that hinder their neighbour to follow the Law of God he pardoneth their sins who beleive in what Mahomet hath preached it is the very truth that proceedeth from his divine Majesty but the Infidels have followed vanity and the believers have embraced the truth sent from their Lord Thus God speaketh to the people in parables When ye shall meet the Infidels in time of warre cut their necks pursue them untill ye take them prisoners then bind them after this ye shal either give them liberty or put them to ransom untill their party shall lay down arms If God pleased he could give you victory without fighting but his will is to prove you he guideth into Paradise them that are slain for the defence of his Law and giveth them his grace Oh ye that believe in God! If ye protect the Law of God God will protect you he wil confirm your steps and destroy the Infidels because they have contemned his commandments and their good works shall be to them unprofitable consider they not what hath been the end of the impious that were before them and that God hath destroyed them Hee shall destroy them in like manner because he protecteth the Believers and Infidels are deprived of his protection he maketh the righteous to enter into Paradise into gardens whâ—reof flow many rivers The punishment of the wicked is sometimes deferred in this world they live like beasts but the fire of Hell is prepared for their punishment How many cities Mecca stronger more opulent then that which they caused thee to abandon have we destroyed They found no protâ—ction Are such as embrace the Law of God like to them that follow their own appetites God hath promiseâ— Paradise to them that have his fear before their eyes there be in Paradise rivers of water that receiveth no alteration there be rivers of milk that never corrupteth rivers of wine savory and delicioius to the taste rivers of honey pure and clean fruits of all sorts and the grace of God for them that shall obey his Commandments the wicked shal remain eternally in the fire of Hell where they shall drink a boyling liquor that shall burn their entrails There be persons among the Infidels that hear what thou dost preach when they are gone from thee their Doctors demand of them what thou hast said concerning the day of Iudgment God hath hardned the hearts of such men and they shall never follow but their own passions God encreaseth the graces of them that obey his Commandments and fortifyeth them in their perseverance Shall the Infidells tarry untill the day of Iudgement surprizeth them The signes of that day hath already appeared that day shall repentance be in vain There is no God but God implore from him pardon of thy sin and for these men and Women that believe in his Law he knoweth what they doe day and night If the Chapter of the place where Justice is rendred had not been sent had not made mention of Combats thou hadst not seen them that doubt of the Law look upon thee with eyes troubled because of their fears of dying Teach them obedience and speak to them with civility Had they believed and obeyed when they were appointed to fight they had performed a good work Have ye disobeyed Have ye abandoned the Law of God to defile the earth and to deprive your sâ—lves of his mercy God rendreth them whom he curseth who comprehend not the truth of the Alcoran deaf and blind Have they a firm heart Such as have returned to their impiery after
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
of Moses and Abraham to wit that none shall bear the burden of another man shal have but what he shal have gained he shal in the end see his labour be rewarded after his works and all shall appear in the presence of thy Lord. Hâ— it is that causeth to laugh and mourn to live and to dye he created the male and female of every thing he giveth and taketh away mans soul when he listeth he is most rich and hath no want of any person He is the Lord of the Planet which men adored He destroyed Aâ—â— and Temod drowned the people of Noah who were most erroneous and unjust overthrew the City of Lot and covered it with burning stone In whom will they believe if they believe not in thy Lord This Prophet is sent to preach to you the pains of hel as did the other Prophets that were before you The day of Judgment approacheth and none but God knoweth when it will come wonder ye at this discourse Ye scoffe and lament not when ye are spoken to but ye shal be surprized in your sin if ye humble not your selves before God neither worship him CHAP. XLVII The Chapter of the Moon containing fifty five Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and mercifull The day of Iudgment approacheth the Moon was divided into two parts nevertheless Infidels believe not miracles when they see them they say that this is Magick they lie and follow but their passion but as is written The history of past ages full of salutery counsels was preached to them neverthelesse Preachers were to them unprofitable Depart thou far from them when they shall be called to the universall Judgement which they will not believe that day shall their eyes be troubled with feare they shall come out of the Earth dispersed like frighted GRASSEHOPPERS they shall flock to him that shal summon theÌ„ Judgment and shall say behold here a day unhappy for the wicked The people heretofore belyed Noah and said that he was possessed of the Devill Noah exhorted them and invoked his Lord in the end he said that his strength was gon and that he was overcome through the malice of men then was he powerfully succored we opened the gate of the Heavens and caused an extraordinary raine to fall wee caused FOVNTAINES to issue â—orth from under the Earth the water of Heaven and Earth were gathered together and overwhelmed the Infidels because of their sins We saved Noah in the Arke well pinned and chaulked it floated upon the water trough our pâ—â—mission to serve for a token of our omnipotency will any of the vnâ—elievers of this time consider this will they consider the punishment of their crimes and the pains of Hell We have made the Alcoran easie to be understood will there be any that study it The wicked that traduced Aad were chastised but with what chastisement We sent against them an impetuous wind in a day to them unfortunate that caused men to fall like palms rooted up consider what was their puishment We have rendred the Alcoran intelligible will there be any one that will study it Temod and his people traduced the Prophets and contemned their exhortations they said there is a man among us who would seduce us from the right way if ye follow him he will lead you into Helâ— was he alone elected among us to receive the inspirations of God No he is an Imposter but in the end they knew them that were wicked and lyars We sent the Camell to prove the Infidels their Prophet observed what they did and was patient the water was divided for them and for the Camel and each at his day found to drinke neverthelesse they called their Companions and slew the Camell of Salhe but in what manner were they chastised I darted thunder against them which made them drie as chaffe We have made the Alcoran easie to be understood will there be any to study it Lots Citizens traduced him and despised his instructions We sent against them an hot winde with burning stones that destroyed them and we in the morning saved Lot with his family throught our speciall grace thus do I recompense them that ackowledge my benefits Lot had preached to them the pains of hel we surprized them when they disputed against his exhortations they saw his guests to enter into the city in the figure of men we blinded their sight and said Tast oh ye wicked the punishment of your crimes In the morning they wery chastised with a perpetuall chastisement because they despised the words of Lot We have made the Alcoran intelligible will there be any that will study it Certainly the men of Pharoâ—h were preached unâ—o they would not obey my Law and despised my miracles but we surprized them in their sinnes Are the Infidels that are among you of more value then those that preceded them Finde ye any Salvation for them in the SCRIPTVRE Will they say they shall obtain victory over the believers On the contrary they are vanquished and turn the back Certainly the hour of their punishment shall speedily come their time approacheth and their pain in Hell shall be greater then that of the Earth they are wholly seduced from the way of Salvation and shall be dragged and cast headlong into eternal flames We have created all things by our sole power we spake but one word and in the twinckling of an eye the thing waâ— we heretofore destroyed a great number of Infidels like unto them will there be any that considereth it All the good and the evill that they have done is exactly written The righteous shall dwell in pleasant gardens they shall drink in eternall rivers they shall not speak a lye in their assemblies and shall dwell eternally near to the most majestique and omnipotent God CHAP. LV. The Chapter of the Mercifull containing eighteen Verses written at Medina IN the name of God gracious and mercifull The mercifull hath taught the Alcoran he hath created man and given him the use of reason he created the Sun and the Moon to count seasons the Stars and Trees adore him he hath elevated the Heavens established Justice commanded to weigh with good weights he hath created the Earth for the habitation of men with all sorts of fruits gâ—ain and leaves he created the winds and tempests Oh men and Devils what Lord do ye blaspheme but your own Lord He created man of Earth like a pot and the Devils of the flame of fire what Lord do ye blaspheme but your own Lord He is the Lord of both the Wests and both the Easts what Lord do you blasphem but your own Lord He maketh the fresh water to mingle with the salt and the one easily mingleth with the other what Lord do ye blaspheme but your own Lord be bringâ—â—â— Pearls and Corrall out of the Sea what Lord do ye blaspeme but your own Lord he created the Ships that float upon the Sea big as mountains what Lord
he is not ignorant of what is in the hearts of men Have ye not heard what did heretofore befall the wicked They were punished they dyed in their misery and in the end shall suffer grievous torments because God hath sent them Prophets to instruct them and they said what shall a man like our selves teach us the right way They despised them and forsook the Law of God he hath not to doe with them neither hath he need of the world praise is due to him in all places doe the wicked believe that they shall not rise againe Contrariwise God shall make them to revive and shall declare to them all that they have done this thing is easie to his divine Majesty Believe in God his Prophet and the light that he hath sent you he knoweth all your actions Remember thou the day when he shall summon all to Judgement this shall be the day of Dâ—ceipt they shall be known that have deceived themselves and those that have deluded their neighbours See Kitab el tenoir That day their sins shall be pardoned that shall have believed in his unity and have done good works they shall dwell eternally in Gardens wherein flow many Rivers the Infidels that despise his Commandements shall be precipitated into hell where they shall burn eternally No evill befalleth you but through Gods permission he giveth patience to him that believeth in his divine Majesty and knoweth all Obey God and his Prophet if ye obey him not know that the Prophet of God is obliged only to preach the truth of faith there is but one God all True-believers resigne themselves to his divine will Oh ye that believe ye have children and wives that are your enemies beware of their malice if ye pardon them if ye depart from them God shall be to you gracious and mercifull Wealth and children do often hinder you to obey God but know that he rewardeth abundantly the righteous feare him with all your power hearken to his Commandements obey him give alms he that is not avaricious shall be blessed if ye lend any thing to God he shall cause it to multiply he shall pardon your sins he accepteth the acknowledgement of his benefits and is most mercifull he knoweth what is present past and future is omnipotent and wise CHAP. LXV The Chapter of Divorce containing eighteen Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful O Prophet when ye repudiate your wives repudiate them following the Ordinances and Laws and reckon the time that they ought to tarry before they marry again Fear God your Lord cause them not to depart their houses neither expell them before the time appointed if they be not taken in adultery Such are the Ordinances of God he that shall transgress them shall do injury to himself peradventure God will enjoyn something concerning them of which ye are ignorant When the time that they ought to tarrie shall be finished retain or dismisse them with civility ye shall take persons of your Religion honest men that shall be witnesses of your actions depose with truth what ye have seen it is so appointed to them that believe in God and the day of Judgement God shall deliver from affliction him that shall have his fear before his eyes and shall enrich him when he least thinks of it He that shall trust in him shall not be deceived he doth what he pleaseth and hath appointed a prefixed time to every thing If the women hope no more to have their moneths and doubt that they are misreckoned they shall tarrie three moneths before they marry again if they be not Nurses if they be with child ye shall abstain till their delivery whosoever feareth God rejoyceth in the observance of his Commandements What is above is ordained of God he shall pardon their sins that have his fear before their eyes and give them an exceeding great reward Cause them that ye repudiate to dwell in your houses or neer to you abuse them not If they bee with châ—lde allow them what shall be necessary for them untill they shall be delivered if they desire to nurse their children ye shall give them an honest salarie and entreat them with civility and curtesie if ye like not this ye shall cause them to be nursed by another whose pains ye shall reward If ye be not wealthy you shall allow according to your power God doth not enjoyn any one to expend more then his ability permitteth he shall give you good after evill how many have been the Cities that have heretofore disobeyed the Commandements of God and of his Prophets We have kept an exact accompt of their sins their Inhabitants have been chastised and shall be in the end in the number of the damned God hath prepared for them grievous torments Oh ye that are wise fear God he hath sent you the Alcoran he hath sent you a Prophet to teach you the mysteries of his Law to lead you out of darkness and to guide into light them that shall believe in him and do good works he shall open to them the Gate of Paradise wherein flow many Rivers where they shall dwell eternally with all manner of content God! He it is that created the seven heavens and as much of earth and ordaineth among them what pleaseth him to the end ye may know that he is omnipotent and knoweth all things CHAP. LXVI The Chapter of Prohibition containing twelve Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and mercifull Oh Prophet prohibit not for the contentment of thy wives to do that which God hath permitted thee he is gracious and mercifull he hath appointed to do what is permitted by your Law he is your Lord is omniscient and most wise When the Prophet went to visit one of his wives God revealed to him what she desired to say to him he approved one part and rejected the other when he told his wife what was in her will to speak to him she demanded of him who had revealed it to him He that knoweth all things hath revealed it to me that ye may be converted your hearts are inclined to do what is forbidden if ye act any thing against the Prophet know that God is his protector the Angel Gabriel and all the believers will defend him the Angels shall protect him against you If it be his will to repudiate you God shall give him for the future other wives in your place that shall be obedient True believers humble faithfull devout contented milde clean virgins and not virgins Oh ye that believe in God! strenthen your selves you and your families in obedience to his Commandements the Idolaters shall burn in the fire of hell with their Idols the Angels deputed to torment them disobey not God they execute whatsoever is commanded them Oh ye that are Infidels there is no excuse for you ye shall be chastised after your demerits Oh ye that believe turn to God with affection he shall pardon
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
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
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