evening that he forgot to make his prayer at the hour of Vespers and said What Have I preferred the love of the wealth of the Earth to the remembrance of God even until the Sunset He caused them to be led back again and sacrificed some of them for expiation of his fault He caused their legs and necks to be cut off We tried Solomon we caused a supposititious person to sit on his Throne and afterwards restored him to his dominions He said Lord give me thy mercy give me so happy a reign that the like hath not been seen thou art liberal towards thy creatures We made subject to him the winds which blowed at his command where it pleased him We made the Devils subject to him some built his Palaces others dived into the Seas to bring him Pearls and others were bound and chained to attend his commands he retained and dismissed whom he listed with rendring an accompt We drew him near unto us and lodged him in a place of content Remember our servant Iob that he prayed to his Lord and said That the Devil had heaped misery and affliction upon him It was said unto him Strike the Earth with thy foot thou shalt see water spring forth to wash thee and to drink We restored to him his children and his riches through our special grace to be an example to posterity It was said unto him when his wife would have made him to murmur Take rods in thine hand strike thy wife and swerve not from what thou hast promised We found him patient and zealous in obedience to our Commandments Remember our servant Abraham Isaac Iacob affectionate and zealous in our Law we saved and chose them among the righteous Such as have my fear before their eyes shall enjoy the delights of the Garden of Eden where they shall repose upon most glorious beds they shall there have all sorts of fruits and delicious drink and their wives shall not look on any but on them Behold what is promised to them at the day of Judgment and these pleasures shall never end The wicked and Infidels shall be precipitated into the fire of Hell they shall drink boiling water in abundance and water extreamly cold full of all manner of noysom smells they shall be precipitated into the flames and shall say to them that have obeyed them upon Earth May ye be perpetually tormented you have seduced and mis-led us On the contrary may yout selves be tormented you have been the cause of our misery and shall be damned with us Then shall they say Lord encrease the punishment of him that is the cause of our misery Shall we not be able to see them whom we believed on Earth to be Infidels and whom we derided cannot our eyes see Thus shall the damned quarrel Say to the people I am sent only to preach unto you the Unity of God the Omnipotent Creator of Heaven and Earth and of all that is between them Behold the best Sermon that I can make unto you nevertheless you despise it I know not what happened in Heaven when the Angels quarrelled God hath inspired it into me and I am sent but to instruct you and to preach publikely the pains of Hell. Remember thou that God said to his Angels I will create man of the mire of the Earth when I have formed him I will breathe against him and inspire my Spirit into his body prostrate your selves before him with humility The Angels there prostrated themselves except the Devil he was proud and already in the number of the wicked Thy Lord said unto him Wherefore dost thou not humble thy self before the work of my hands Thou art in the number of the proud he replied I am better than man thou hast made me of fire and hast created him of the dust of the Earth Then thy Lord said unto him Get thee hence thou shalt be chastised on all sides and my curse be upon thee until the day of Judgment He answered Lord defer my punishment until the day of the Resurrection he said I will defer it until the day appointed He replied through thy permission I will tempt all the world except such as shall be zealous in thy Law and shall obey thy Commandments He said I telâ—… thee true I tell thee true I will fill Hell with thee and those that shall follow thee Say unto the people I require of you no recompence for my instructions I am not importunate Certainly this Book iâ—… sent only to instruct men you shall one day know the truth of what it containeth CHAP. XXXIX The Chapter of Troops containing seventy five Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful This book was sent by God the Omnipotent and wise We sent it to thee the contents thereof are most true worship one God alone and obey hiâ—… Commandments faith proceedeth from him alone Such as worship any other but him worship Idols They have said we would not invoke our Idols had they not power to draw uâ—… near to God Certainly God shall judg one day thâ—… difference that is between the believers and unbelievers he guideth not him that is a lyar anâ—… impious If he would have a son he would make choice of one of his creatures that should be pleasing to him praised be God there is buâ—… one God always victorious he created the heavens and the earth with proportion he maketâ—… the night to enter into the day and the day intâ—… the night he created the Sun and the Moon which perform their course in heaven until the daâ—… appointed he is omnipotent and merciful He hatâ—… created all of you of one sole man of whom he created his wife he hath given you clean beasts male and female he formed you in the wombs of your mothers form upon form he brought you out of three obscurities he alone is your God and your Lord the kingdom of the world appertaineth to him there is no God but he How can the Infidel depart from his service If ye will not worship him he hath nothing to do with you he desireth not that his creatures should be impious his Will is that they praise him this is his pleasure and none shall bear the burthen of his neighbour â—…e all shall be assembled before him he will shew ye what you have done he knoweth what is in the hearts of men When man is touched with any affliction he invoketh God and turneth and when he is in prosperity he forgetteth his vows he hath said that God hath a companion equal to him and erreth from the way of his Law. Say unto him thou shalt be awhile tolerated in the end thou shalt be cast headlong into the fire of hell and he that shall pray to God day and night erect prostrate or on the knee with fear of the torments of hell shall enjoy the mercy of his divine Majesty Are such as labour to be compared to them that are
shall be blind shall continue his Misery I am your Tutor neither observe I what you do Thus do I declare the Mysteries of my Law the wicked shall in the end confess that thou hast taught my Commandments to such as inclined to learn them Act what thy Lord hath inspired into thee there is no God but he separate thy self from the Society of unbelievers Had it pleased God they had not disobeyed his Commandments thou art not their Tutor injure not them that worship Idols they injure God through Malice and Ignorance every Man esteemeth what he hath done and pleaseth himself in his opinion Certainly they shall all be assembled at the Judgment and be chastised after their Demerits They have sworn by the name of God to fight for the Faith if some Miracle appear to instruct them Miracles proceed from God they know not the time wherein he will make them to appear although they should see Miracles they will not be converted I will overturn their hearts blind their sight and they shall never be converted I will leave them in their Errours and disobedience with contempt and confusion If we should send to them Angels should the dead come and speak to them and should we bring about them all the Witnesses of the World they shall not believe if it so please God most of them are ignorant we have allotted an Enemy to each Prophet as the Devil is an Enemy to Men he tempteth them with the Ornament of his Discourses to render them proud If it had pleased thy Lord they had wanted that power depart thou from unbelievers and their blasphemies and incline not to their will they shall find no advantage in their impiety Do you desire another Judge than God who hath sent to you the Book that distinguisheth good from evil Such as know the Scripture are not ignorant that this Book was sent from God and containeth the Truth Be not thou in the number of them that doubt the word of God exactly cometh to pass no Man can hinder its effects God understandeth and knoweth all things If thou incline to the will of most Men they will seduce thee they believe but their own opinions and are lyars Thy Lord knoweth them that err and such as follow the right way Eat what shall be slain in pronouncing the name of God they taught you what was forbidden eat not unless constrained through necessity Many err from the right way and pursue their own appetites and ignorance God beholdeth them that offend him flie publick and secret sin sinners shall be severely chastised eat not of what is not let Blood in pronouncing the name of God lest you disobey his Commandments The Devils will tempt them that serve them they will perswade unbelievers to dispute against you if you incline to them you shall be Infidels as they are I raised again many of them that were dead through their sins I converted them and gave them a light to illuminate them in the darkness wherein Infidels shall dwell for ever because they delight in their disobedience Thus will I place in every City leaders that shall seduce the wicked and themselves but shall not understand it When they beheld any sign of the truth of the Prophet appear they said they will not believe in him unless he were accompanied with the vertues and merits of other Prophets God maketh choice of them on whom he conferreth the grace of prophecy he shall chastise such as discourse in that manner with ignominie in this World and they shall feel in the other great torments by reason of their impiety God rejoyceth the hearts of them that he inclineth to lead into the way of Salvation and punisheth them that digress from the right path his wrath fell upon the Infidels so soon as he ascended into Heaven The way thou followest is the right way we have recompensed such as have understanding to profit they shall be happy God shall be their protector because of their good works Remember thou the day wherein we shall assemble the People and when it shall be said to the Devils O ye bands of Devils wherefore are you risen against Men The chief of those Men that shall have obeyed them shall answer Lord suffer us to be revenged on each other and let each command in his turn O Lord teach us the prefixed time that thou hast appointed to our miseries The Angels shall answer Hell shall be your habitation you shall there remain eternally and so long as it shall please God Your Lord is most wise and Omniscient the wicked shall obey the wicked because of their sins O ye Bands of Men and Devils have you not seen my Prophets and Apostles of your own Nation who have given you to see Miracles Who have preached my Commandments and the Day of Judgment They shall answer they have seen the Prophets and Apostles but that the life of the World rendered them proud and shall confess themselves to have been wicked God shall not destroy Mecca for the unjustice therein committed until he hath sent an Apostle to the Inhabitants to teach them his Commandments every one shall be punished according to his works thy Lord knoweth whatsoever is done in the World. He hath no need of his People he is altogether merciful he can destroy you if it please him and establish in your place another People as he hath established you in the place of your predecessors If you be not converted you shall not escape the torments of Hell Say unto them do as you understand him I will comport my self as I shall apprehend him you shall in the end understand who shall have the good part in the other World. None shall give succour to Idolaters they offer to their Idols of the fruits that God hath created and say following their thoughts behold our God! Such sacrifices ascend not to God their Idolatry hath induced many of them to sacrifice their own Children to their false Gods they have destroyed them and were ensnared in their Religion which they had not done had it so pleased God Separate thy self from them and their blasphemies they have said that the fruits of the Earth and the benefits of God were unclean and would not eat of them God giveth food but to those whom he is pleased to gratifie They have prohibited to ride on some beasts that God gave them and slew them for food without pronouncing the name of his Divine Majesty which is a great sin but they shall be punished according to their demerits They have said it is lawful for Men to eat what is in the Bellies of Beasts and that it is unlawful for their Wives and when they had slain them they did eat for company but God shall chastise them for their discourse he is most wise and Omniscient Such as slay their Children are wretched Men Fools and ignorant they have forbidden to eat the good things that God hath given them to blaspheme
of their ruine Remember thou that Moses said to his servant I will travel incessantly until I see a place where two seas meet although I travel an Age. When he came to that place he and his servant forgot their fish he had taken his way through the Sea Having continued their voyage some time Moses was an hungry and demanded somewhat to eat of his servant who said to him Sawest thou what hapned at the Rock I have forgotten our fish the Devil made me to forget it he 〈◊〉 â—…ook his way through the Sea that Rock is the place which we seek they both returned on then steps discoursing together until they came to that Rock where they found one of our servants on whom we had conferred our graces and inspired knowledge Moses said unto him Permit me to follow thee that thou mayst teach me knowledge and instruct me He replied Thou wilt not be able to abide patiently with me How wilt thou patiently endure to hear a thing which none in the world ever knew Moses said Thou shalt find me exceeding patient and I will not disobey thee He answered If thou follow me enquire nothing of me and hear only what I shall say to thee They went together and they being in a boat he brake a plank Moses said to him Thou hast broken this vessel to drown us it is a strange thing He answered Did not I tell thee that thou wilt not be able patiently to abide with me Moses replied Excuse me and afflict me not I had forgotten what thou didst enjoyn me They went on together until they met with a child whom he slew Moses said to him Thou hast slain an innocent that hath not slain any one thou hast done a thing without reason and that ought not to be approved He answered Did I not say thou wilt not be able patiently to abide with me Moses said to him Excuse me this time also if I demand ought else of thee abandon me They continued their way unto a Village where the inhabitants refused them bread at that time they found a wall ruined which he raised again Moses said to him Thou shouldst have been payed for repairing this wall if thou wouldst He answered Now behold the place of our separation nevertheless I will explain to thee what thou wert impatient to learn. That boat belongeth to two poor men who labour on the sea to gain their subsistence I would have pierced it to preserve it to those poor men because there was an Infidel Prince who by force seized on the good vessels for his service That Infant which I slew was an Idolater the son of a true believer a righteous man we feared he might cause his father to sin and seduce him into his error and infidelity the Lord through his goodness would have him to be destroyed to deliver his father from his malice The wall appertaineth to two infant Orphans of this City there is under it a treasure that belongeth to them their father was a righteous man God through his goodness willeth that the treasure be preserved for them until they attain to years of Discretioni 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 Ransom he answered I will put to death unbelievers in this world and the Lord shall punish them in Hell and 〈◊〉 righteous shall enjoy the glory of â—…aradise I will tell the wicked that God hath given us what we have desired After this he continued his way until 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 until he arrived between two Mountains inhabited of a Nation that spake a Language which he could hardly understand they said to him O Alexander Iagog 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 divideth them blow when the Iron striketh the Stones to kindle fire and pour on molten 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 he promiseth we will permit them to mix each with others we will assemble all of them when the Trumpet shall sound then we will open Hell to the wicked and to such as would neither see nor hear the Alcoran Do they imagin 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 befal 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 Commandments of their Lord and believe not in the Resurrection they shall not want ballance at the Day of Judgment Hell shall be their habitation because they deride our Commandments and our Apostles and Prophets The Righteous shall enjoy eternally the delight of Paradise without discontinuation If the Sea were Ink to write the wondrous works of my Lord it will sooner have an end than 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 liberal wise true Zachary 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 Iacob and be pleasing to thee O Zachary I declare unto thee that thou shalt have a Son named Iohn 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
a better way than their Neighbour how many have we destroyed before them in past Ages more Rich than they and Hypocrites like unto them Say unto them God prolongeth the life 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 merciful I will not do it I will write all that they say and will add to their miseries I will give to them in this World what they require and they shall rise again naked without Treasure and Children 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 Judgment Seest thou not how we have sent the Devils against unbelievers to seduce them Be not impatient to see them punished they shall be judged at the day appointed â—…e thou mindful of the day when I shall assemble all the Righteous in the presence of God and precipitate all the wicked into Hell their prayer shall not be heard except such as have accomplished their promises made to the merciful 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 account and number of all things of the World Men shall appear before him at the Day of Judgment 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 maist 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 an hundred and thirty Verses written at Mecca Reader the Mahometans have entituled this Chapter Tthe which is two letters of the Arabique Alphabet to wit Tt and He where in this place Tt signifieth Thouba that is to say Beatitude and He Haoihe that is to say Hell. See the gloss and interpretation of Gelaldin and Bedaoi they have intituled this The Chapter of Beatitude and of Hell. IN the name of God gracious and merciful We have not given thee the Alcoran to torment thee but to instruct therein the righteous It was sent thee by him that created the Heavens and the Earth the merciful sitteth on his Throne whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth whatsoever is between them and beneath the Earth appertaineth to him He knoweth thy thoughts he understandeth what thou keepest secret and what thou makest manifest God! there is but one God all the glorious names of the world are due unto him Knowest thou the History of Moses When he beheld the fire he said to his family Stay ye here I see a great fire I will bring to you a spark and you shall find in it the right way When he approached it was said unto him O Moses I am thy Lord put off thy shooes thou art in the holy Valley of Toi I have elected thee among my people hear my word and receive mine inspirations I am God there is none other God but I worship me alone and make thy prayers as it is ordained The hour unknown to the world approacheth wherein I will recompence and chastise every one after his works Take heed lest the wicked seduce thee from the right way if thou follow their appetite thou shalt be destroyed Is it not what thou hast sworn to me he answered Lord I will apply my self unto thee and will lean upon my staff I will beat the fruits of the Trees to make them fall upon my flocks I have yet another manner to nourish my sheep with this staff I will make use of it to defend and preserve them from mischief God said unto him O Moses cast that staff to the ground behold a Serpent it creepeth take it and be not afraid I will cause it to return to its former condition draw back thine hand and put it under thy arm it shall become white and shining without harm and pain it shall be a most certain sign of my Unity I will give thee to see the miracles of my Omnipotency Go to Pharoab he is in an exceeding great error and seduced from the right way Moses said Lord rejoyce my heart and facilitate my commission unloose the knot of my tongue that they may understand my speech give me Aaron to assist me in this business that I may praise thee and highly exalt thy glory thou only art our protector God said Thy prayer is heard we were favourable to thee another time when we inspired thy mother to put thee into a coffer and expose thee to the river of Nile the water drove thee to the shore whence Pharoah took thee I caused thee to be beloved of him to have care of my people when thy sister sought tidings of what was become of thee she said Who will guide us where he is who will conduct us to him that keepeth him we sent thee back to thy mother to stop her tears and put an end to her affliction Thou slewest a man we have deliver'd thee from the hands of thine enemies and have approved thy perseverance thou hast continued some time with the inhabitants of Madian after this we sent thee to preach our Commandments I have made choice of thee go with thy brother to Pharoah and lie not in speaking of me he is gone astray from the right way speak to him both of you with mildness peradventure he will hearken to you and will fear the fire of hell they answered Lord We fear that he may torment and rise up against us he said Fear nothing I will be with you hear what he will say consider his actions address your selves to him and say We are the Messengers of the Omnipotent God dismiss with us the children of Israel and no more torment them we are come hither by the Commandment of God thy Lord. Salvation is for such as follow the right way damnation for them that blaspheme against his Law and depart from his Commandments Pharoah said unto them Who is your God Moses said My God is he that created the world and
that should there make processions Men shall come thither to visit thee from all parts on foot and on Horse-back they shall receive profit they shall there make their prayers at the times appointed and the days nominated they shall thank the Lord for his benefits towards them and the Riches which he hath given them and shall make likewise processions at the old Temple He that shall reverence it shall do exceeding well and shall be recompenced of his Lord. It is lawful for you to eat of all clean Beasts except of such as have been heretofore prohibited Depart from the pollution of Idols beware of bearing false witness and be obedient to God. He that saith God hath a Companion is like to him that fell headlong from Heaven whom the Birds devoured and the wind cast into a remote place full of miseries He that shall reverence the signs of the power of God will not doubt of his Law and shall be rewarded for his good works at the time appointed if he visit the old Temple of Mecca We have given to all Nations of the World a Law to offer their Sacrifices and to return thanks to their Lord for having given them advantage above all sorts of Beasts Your God is one God obey his Commandments proclaim a great reward to them that are obedient to him to them that tremble with fear when they hear mention of his name that are patient in their adversity that pray at the time appointed and dispence in alms some part of the wealth that we have given them We have created the female Camel for a sign of our unity she shall be profitable to you in this World. Remember to pronounce the Name of God when ye shall sacrifice her standing on her feet when she shall fall dead on the ground eat of her flesh if it like you and give to eat to such as shall require it We have made her subject to you peradventure ye will be thankful to me for this grace God promoteth before him neither the flesh of this Beast nor the blood but onely the good works that ye perform He hath thus subjected it That ye may exalt it and give him thanks for having guided you into the right way Proclaim to the righteous That God will remove far from them the malice of the wicked he abhorreth Traytors and the ingrateful Declare to such as fight against Infidels to repair the injury they have done them that God is sufficiently powerful to protect them When they were driven from their houses without reason they said God is our Lord Had not God stirred up the people against each other the Covents of the Religious the Churches of the Christians the Synagogues of the Jews and the Temples of the Believers had been ruined through the multitude of the wicked and their malice The name of God is exalted in the Temples of believers and therein is his Law defended and protected God is most strong he hath all power over his people Those whom God hath established on Earth with victory over their enemies make their prayers in the manner ordained pay Tithes and enjoin to do what is honest and civil forbid to do what is prohibited of God who knoweth the end of all things If the Infidels traduce thee their predecessors traduced Noah Aad Chaib Abraham and Lot they also slandered Moses God for a time deferred their punishment but in the end most severely chastised them How many Cities have we destroyed because of their impiety We have overthrown and made them desart through the death of their inhabitants Shall those of Mecca walk for ever upon Earth with an hard heart without reflecting upon what hath heretofore befaln the Infidels Their eyes are not blind but their hearts are blind and hardned They will require thee to cause the wicked to be speedily chastised God will not go against what he hath promised One day before thy Lord is as a thousand years before men How often hath the punishments of impâ—…ous Cities been deferred that in the end were destroyed The whole world shall one day be assembled before me to be recompenced after their merits Say unto them O people I preach unto you publickly the torments of Hell such as shall believe and do good works shall receive pardon of their sins and a precious treasure they that shall endeavour to make void the faith shall be damned We sent our Prophet to read only our Commandments to the people the unbelievers read many things that are not in the Alcoran but God hath made vain what the Devil had there inserted and confirmed the precepts of his Law What the Devil there inserted serveth for sâ—…dition to them that are weak in their faith and have an hard heart The Infidels are in an exceeding great error and are far from the Truth Such as have the knowledge of Scripture know that the Alcoran is truth it self which proceedeth from thy Lord They believe in it and humble their heart in reading it God guideth into the right way such as believe in the truth The Infidels shall be in doubt until they be surprized of the day of Judgment That day shall they be rigorously chastised that day shall God command and judg the good and the bad the righteous that shall have believed and done good works shall enter into delicious Gardens and the Infidels that shall have disobeyed his Commandments shall suffer exceeding great torments They that departed from Mecca and went to Medina to abandon the society of unbelievers and were slain or died of sickness shall be rewarded of his divine Majesty God is the greatest benefactor in the world he shall give them to enter where they shall desire he is omniscient and most merciful The believers that shall take revenge of the injury that the unbelievers have done them shall be protected of God He is gracious and merciful towards his people he maketh day to enter into night and night into day he heareth the prayers of True believers and seeth whatsoever they do and will protect them because he is truth it self Idols are but vanity and God is most high and omnipotent Dost thou not consider that God sendeth the rain from Heaven and that the Earth becometh green He is benign to his people and knoweth all things whatsoever is in Heaven and Earth is his he hath no need of his people and ought to be exalted Seest thou not that God hath subjected to you all the beasts that are upon the earth Seest thou not that the ship runneth upon the sea through his command to transport you and your substance Seest thou not that he hindreth Heaven to fall upon the Earth certainly he is benign and merciful He it is that hath given you life and death he shall make you to die and shall raise you again nevertheless man is ingrateful for his favours We have given a law to all the Nations of the World to guide them into the right
we will not believe thee for that we see not God then you were smitten with thunder you saw your Misery with your own eyes nevertheless we raised you after your death perhaps you will give me thanks We covered you with the shadow of Clouds we caused Manna and Quails to fall upon you and said Eat the good things we have given you They did us no harm when they murmured they afflicted themselves We said Enter into that City and eat therein what shall content you enter in at the gate with humility and say Remove our sins from us I will pardon your offences and encrease the Graces of those that are righteous then the wicked altered their words that were taught them but I sent my indignation from Heaven upon them according to their demerits When Moses demanded drink for his people we said Smite the Rock with thy Rod incontinently there sprung forth twelve Fountains and every man knew his place where to drink Eat and drink the good things of God and defile not the Earth any more You said unto Moses we are not satisfied with one sort of meat entreat thy Lord that he give us what the Earth produceth Beets Cucumbers Garlick Lentils and Onions he said Desire you to change good for evil Go down into Aegypt you will there find what you require They were beaten with disgrace and poverty and returned into the wrath of God for that they disobeyed his Commandments and unjustly slew his Prophets for which they were greatly to blame All those that shall believe Christians Iews or Samaritans such as shall believe in God at the day of Judgment and do good works shall be recompensed by their Lord and be free from fear and affliction at the day of the Resurrection When we received your promise to believe in the Old Testament we raised a Mountain over you to over-shadow you and said Comprehend with affection what we teach you and remember perhaps you will fear the fire of Hell and disobedience nevertheless you have gone astray without the mercy of your Lord you shall be in the number of the damned You know what befel those that observed not the Sabbath we said unto them Be ye abhorred and despised as Apes We left this punishment as an Advertisement to their Temporaries and Posterity and particularly to be for an example to the true Believers Remember thou that Moses said unto the people God commandeth you to sacrifice a Cow. They answered doest thou mock us He replyed God defend me from being in the number of the ignorant They said Call upon thy Lord that he instruct us what Cow that ought to be He said it must be a Cow of a middle age neither young nor old and do what is commanded you They said pray unto thy Lord that he shew us of what colour it ought to be It must said he be of a bright yellow colour that it may delight the eyes of the beholders They said invoke thy Lord that he instruct us what it ought to resemble and we shall if it please him be obedient to his Commandments He said God answereth you that it must be a Cow that never bare the yoke to till the earth neither water the fields round and that hath never laboured neither hath spot upon her Body They said thou hast now spoken truth they then sacrificed her and it wanted not much but they had not done it When you have slain any one you are then full of wrath and become proud God bringeth to light whatever you conceal We said smite that dead Body with a piece of that Cow so God raiseth again the dead and manifesteth to you his Miracles it may be you will comprehend them yet your hearts are hardned more obdurate than Rocks for Rivers flow from Rocks when they cleave and appear or when they fall and overturn by the permission of his Divine Majesty God is not ignorant of your actions Do you desire the Iews should believe you because many among them write the word of God and alter it at pleasure after they have comprized it When they meet with true Believers they say we believe in God and being assembled they say among themselves have you entertained those true Believers for that God hath instructed you that they may find no excuse against you at the day of Judgment before his Divine Majesty Understand you not that they would excuse themselves upon what you have said to them Know they not that God knoweth whatever they conceal and what they bring to light There be some that know neither to read nor write that understand nothing of Scripture but what they have learned from the lies of their Doctors yet they think to be knowing Men. Misery is upon them that conceal the Scripture in their hands that alter it and say that what they read proceedeth from God to profit any thing thereby Misery is upon them because of what their hands have written Misery is upon them and upon what they have gained in blaspheming against God. They have said we shall continue in Fire but a certain number of days Say unto them have you capitulated with God He will not act against his Promises Will you speak of God what you know not Such as have gained ought and were entangled in the sin of their gain shall for ever remain in the flames of Hell and they 〈◊〉 have faith in God and do good works shall â—…nally enjoy the delights of Paradise â—…ber thou that we taught the Commandâ—… of the Law and how we said to the 〈◊〉 of Israel worship one only God do good unto your Farher and Mother to your Allies Orphans and the Poor speak mildly unto the People make your Prayers at the time appointed and pay your Tithes nevertheless they were disobedient except some very few among them When we received the Commandments of God and that we said shed not your Blood neither forsake your Houses you approved it your selves are Witnesses Nevertheless you slew many and constrained a great number to desert their habitation you assisted each other in injustice and impiety If Slaves have recourse to you you shall redeem them their deliverance is appointed you Do you believe one part of the Scripture to abjure the other The reward of any of you that shall do this thing is ignominy in this World and to be precipitated into the most grievous torments of Hell at the day of Judgment God is not ignorant of your actions Such as purchase the Life of the World to quit Paradise shall not be eased in their Miseries and be utterly deprived of succours Certainly we gave the Law to Moses and after him sent many Prophets We inspired knowledge into Jesus the Son of Mary and strengthned him by the Holy Ghost but you arose against the Prophets that came contrary to your affections you belyed one part and slew another The unbelievers said our heart is hardned It
gracious to them that worship him Say to them If you love God follow me God shall give you life and pardon your sins he is gracious and merciful Say to them obey God and his Prophet If they return in their sin God will very severely punish them he loveth not Infidels God elected Adam and Noah the Lineage of Abraham and the Lineage of Ioachim the one proceedeth from the other God knoweth and understandeth all things Remember thou how the Wife of Ioachim said Lord I vow unto thee the Fruit that is in my Womb free and exempt from all Affairs to serve thee in thy Temple Accept him from me who offer him to thee with affection thou understandest and knowest all things When she was delivered she 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 Devil 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 he went into his Oratory he there found a thousand sorts of different Fruits of divers Seasons He said one day O Mary whence do 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 Progeny that may be pleasing to thee and that may observe thy Commandments Lord hear my Prayers The Angels called him and said to him I declare to thee from God that thou shalt have a Son called Iohn he shall affirm 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 Son I am old and my Wife is barren The Angel said to him so God doth as pleaseth him Lord said Zachary give me some sign of the Conception of my Wife The sign that I will give thee answered the Angel shall be that thou shalt not speak in three days but by signs Remember thou thy Lord often praise him evening and morning Remember thou how the Angels said O Mary God hath chosen and purified thee above all Women of the World O 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 of Mary neither when they entred upon this difficulty Remember thou how the Angels said O Mary God declareth unto thee a word from which shall proceed the Messias named Jesus the Son of Mary full of honour in this World and that shall be in the other of the number of Intercessors with his Divine Majesty he shall speak 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 createth 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 Gospel and he shall be a Prophet sent to the Children of Israel Jesus 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 shall flie I will heal them that are born blind and the leprous I will raise again the dead I will teach you what you shall eat and what you ought not to eat this shall serve you for instruction if you believe in God I am come to confirm the Old Testament and what hath been taught you heretofore Certainly it is lawful 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 fear God and obey me God is my Lord and your Lord worship him this is the right way When Jesus knew their impiety he said Who shall sustain the Law of God in my absence The Apostles answered him we will substain the Law of God we believe in his unity be thou a witness before God that we resign our selves wholly to the pleasure of his Divine Majesty Lord we believe in what thou hast commanded and we have followed the Prophet thy Apostle write us in the number of them that profess thy Law. The Iews conspired against Jesus and God caused their conspiracy to turn against them he knoweth the designs of Conspirators Remember thou how the Lord said O Jesus I will cause thee to die I will elevate thee to my self and remove thee far from Infidels and prefer those that have obeyed thee to Infidels at the day of Judgment 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 Jesus 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 address our prayers to God I will lay the curse of his Divine Majesty upon lyers This Discourse is most true there is no God but God alone the Omnipotent and Wise. If they depart from his Commandments he shall well observe the unbelievers say to them O ye that know Scripture come with words alike true between you and us Do I worship other than God I do not associate him with any one and acknowledge none other Lord but him but if they turn aside from the way of faith God knoweth them that shall pollute the Earth Say to them be ye witnesses that we believe in God. O ye that understand Scripture dispute not the Law of Abraham to wit if he observed the Old Testament or the Gospel they were taught after him perhaps you will acknowledge your error Oh ye that have disputed what you knew not Abraham was no Iew nor Christian he professed the unity of God he was a true believer and not of the number of Infidels The People and particularly those that followed him of his time as also the Prophet Mahomet and all true believers have known the truth of his Law.
Discourse The good that happeneth to you cometh from God and the evil that befalleth you is of your selves We have sent thee to the people to teach them the Mysteries of my Law it is sufficient that I am witness He that obeyeth the Prophet the Apostle of God obeyeth God if they be disobedient thou art not sent to be their Tutor They say They will obey thee and when they are gone from thee many of them ponder in their heart other things than they have spoken but God shall write their thoughts and abandon them Resign thy self to God and be content that he is thy Protector Will they not meditate on the Alcoran Were it sent from any but from God there would be therein many Contradictions When they had any assurance of Victory or feared to be overcome they published it although they had referred all to the Prophet to the most knowing among them and to them that obeyed the Prophet who knew what ought to be published and what to be kept secret If the grace of God had not been with you and his mercy you had followed the Devil Fight for the Law of God employ but thy Person and be not troubled if the true Believers be without Arms the misery of the wicked shall never end God shall augment their Calamity and encrease the punishment of their Crimes he that doth well shall find well and who doth evil shall find evil God regardeth all When you are saluted return the salute with Honour and Affection God putteth all in Account God! there is but one only God he shall assemble you all at the Day of Judgment of that there is no doubt Who is more true in his words than God What have you to do with those Ones divided into two Troops God ruined and destroyed them because of their sins will you direct into the right way him whom God hath made to err He whom he shall cause to err shall not find the right way They desire that you may be Infidels as they are obey them not unless they shall return to the Law of God if they forsake it kill them where you find them contract no friendship with them except with such as shall come to enter league with you with sorrow for what is past to fight against Infidels with you Had it pleased God he had given them advantage over you and they had beaten you if they depart from you and follow your Religion God permitteth not you to do them injury You shall find some that shall incline to believe you and their companions they will turn all to confusion and fall into it themselves if they separate themselves from you if they desire not peace of you and desist not to do you mischief take and kill them where you find them we have given you absolute power over them One true believer ought not to slay another true believer unless it be through ignorance He that shall slay a true believer through ignorance shall redeem from slavery a true believer or shall pay damages and interests to the Kindred and Heirs of the Dead if they through courtesie discharge him not of them If he be of your enemies and a true believer he shall ransom from captivity a true believer If he be of your confederates he shall pay damages and interests to the Kindred and Heirs of the Dead and redeem from Captivity a true believer If he shall be destitute of means to perform this he shall fast two Months together for a penance appointed of God God knoweth all things and is prudent in what he commandeth He that shall kill a true believer of deliberate purpose shall be chastised in the fire of Hell the wrath of God and his curse shall be upon him eternally O ye who are true believers when you fight against Infidels for the Law of God cause your selves to be known and say not to them that salute you Thou art not a true believer If you desire the good things of the World God possesseth riches innumerable you were before like to them but God hath given you grace and seeth all your actions The faithful that continue in their Houses without sickness are not equal in merits to such as imploy their persons and faculties for the Law of God he preferreth by many degrees them that fight for his Law and employ their wealth and persons for his service to those that remain idle in their Houses he is their protector and hath prepared for them a sure refuge in Paradise he gratifieth by many degrees of favour them that fight for his Law above those that live at ease in their Houses he is gracious and merciful The Angel said to the Infidels that they put to death Where were you with your Religion they answered We were weak and impotent in the City of Mecca they said Was not the Earth large enough for you to depart from the wicked Hell shall be their habitation except the Women and Children that were weak and impotent peradventure God will pardon them he is gracious and merciful he that shall depart from the wicked to follow his Law shall find many places favourable to him assuredly he will recompense him that shall quit his House that shall be slain for his glory and to follow his Prophet he is gracious and merciful When you shall be in a journey you shall not offend God to abridge your prayers that the Infidels may not surprize you they are your declared Enemies when thou shalt be near them and shalt appoint the true believers to make their prayers keep about thee a party of them for a guard while the residue make their prayers having finished their Orisons they shall do as the first take Arms and keep a guard during the time their Companions shall make their prayers the Infidels desire that you quit your Arms to surprize you you shall not do amiss to quit them if Rain trouble you or you be sick but continue always upon your guard God hath prepared for Infidels ignominious torments Having finished your prayers Remember God standing sitting or lying down and pray when you shall be in a place of safety prayer is commanded the faithful in a prefixed and appointed time Be not negligent to pursue the Infidels if you suffer they shall suffer like you but you hope for that which they must not hope for God knoweth all their actions he is most prudent in all his works We have sent to thee the most true Book to the end thou mayst judge the differences that are among the People as thy Lord hath instructed thee Contend not with Traitors and ask pardon of God he is gracious and merciful Dispute not with those that betray their Souls God loveth not treacherous sinners they conceal themselves from the World he is with them when they hide in their hearts such things as are displeasing to him he knoweth all their actions O ye you dispute for them in this
them to shelter them and how they believed it would fall upon their heads we said to them Learn with affection what we teach you and remember perhaps you will fear disobedience Thy Lord caused to come out of Adams Reins all his Posterity and asked them saying Am not I your Lord they answered yes thou art our Lord we know it well They cannot therefore say at the Day of Judgment That they knew not his unity they shall say for excuse Our Fathers adored many gods before us we are their Posterity wilt thou destroy us because of their iniquity Thus do I discover my mysteries to Men it may be they will be converted Relate to them the History of him that saw our miracles he was dispoiled of his understanding the Devil followed it and he was in the number of the wretched Had we so pleased we had exalted him through the knowledge of our wonders among the Doctors but he crouched to the ground and followed his own appetite like to a chafed Dog if thou chase him with Choler he putteth forth his Tongue if thou leave him at rest he will still put forth his Tongue like to the Infidels that contemn our instructions if thou recount to them our miracles or do not recount perhaps they will be converted perhaps they will not be converted and shall be like such as have abjured our Commandments and injured their own Souls He whom God guideth is well guided and he whom God mis-leadeth is in the number of the miserable We have created Hell to punish Devils and Men they have hearts and comprehend not the truth they have eyes and see it not ears have they and hear it not they are like to Beasts and worse than Beasts they are altogether ignorant The most beautiful names of the World appertain to God Beseech him by the beauty of his name and depart from them that depart from the truth through the names that they impose on their Idols they shall be chastised after their demerits Some there be that follow the truth and judge with equity I will by degrees punish them that shall reject our Commandments when they shall think thereon I will defer their punishment some time because my wrath is violent Remember they not that they said Mahomet is possest of the Devil On the contrary he declareth the joys of Paradise and preacheth the torments of Hell. Consider they not the Kingdom of Heaven and of Earth which God hath created of nothing The fear of Death shall arrive before they have acknowledged their sins in what will they believe if they have no Faith in the Alcoran He whom God shall mis-lead shall find none to guide him he shall leave Infidels confounded in their disobedience They shall enquire of thee concerning the Hour and Day of Judgment Say unto them No Man knoweth it but God but the greatest part of the World believe it not I have not power to do either good or evil of my self if God do not permit it if I knew the future I should provide wealth to preserve me from poverty I am sent only to declare the joyes of Paradise and preach the torments of Hell to them that believe in God he it is that created you of one sole person and created his spouse of his Rib to dwell with her When she doubted of being with Child she ceased not to travel as she was wont but when her conception rendred her heavy they both besought God their Lord and said Lord give an happy progeny to the end we may be in the number of them that return thee thanks for thy favours When God gave them a Son a righteous Man they associated him in what he had given them and all of them exalted the glory of his Divine Majesty above the Idols of the Infidels that adored things which could create nothing that are things created and can do neither good nor harm If you call Idolaters to the right way they will not follow you if ye invoke Idols misery shall be upon you will you be mute to profess the unity of God Will you worship the Creatures instead of the Creator Go adore your Idols and may they hear your prayers if you believe them to be Gods Have they Feet to walk Hands to touch Eyes to see and Ears to hear Say unto them If ye invoke your Idols and conspire against me you shall find none to protect you God is my protector he hath caused the Alcoran to descend from Heaven he is the defendor of the righteous what ye adore can neither benefit nor hurt you If thou invokest Idols they shall not hear thee they shall look upon thee and shall not see thee do what is lawful to be done command things honest and depart from the ignorant if the Devil would seduce thee trust in God he heareth and knoweth all things such as fear him remember his mercies and chastisements when they are tempted of the Devil Although Infidels know the Truth the Devil ceaseth not to continue them in their sin they always follow their impiety If thou goest to them to instruct them they say thou singest an old Song say unto them I do what my Lord inspired into me what I teach you is the light of Faith the right way and the grace of God for them that believe in his Divine Majesty for such as hear the Alcoran and study it perhaps God will give you his mercy Remember thou God in thy Soul worship in publick and private pray unto him evening and morning and be not in the number of the ignorant The Angels that are near to thy Lord neglect not to worship him they praise and adore him with humility CHAP. VIII The Chapter of the Spoil containing seventy and five Verses written at Medina IN the name of God gracious and merciful They will demand of thee to whom appertaineth the spoyl Say unto them the spoyl appertaineth to God and his Prophet Fear God live with mutual amity and obey his Divine Majesty and his Prophet if you believe in his Law Such as fear when they hear mention of God who augment their faith when they have heard relation of his miracles who trust in him who persevere in their prayers and dispend in pious works some part of their wealth believe in the unity of his Divine Majesty they have the degree of their habitation in Paradise shall receive from their Lord pardon of their sins and exceeding great treasure When thy Lord caused thee to go out of thine House to go against the Infidels a party of the true believers had a great aversion to sighting they disputed with thee the necessity of Combates having seen and known that their Enemies led them to a certain Death Call to mind that God promised you that a party of the Army of the Enemies should obey you Desire you other thing thâ—… the glory and honour of Victory God confirmeth the Truth by his words and destroyeth the wicked
it confirmeth the ancient Scriptures and teacheth True believers the way of Salvation CHAP. XIII The Chapter of Thunder containing forty three Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I am the most wise and merciful God. These Precepts are the Precepts of the Book sent to thee from thy Lord it is a thing most true but few Men incline to believe it It is sent from God who raised Heaven without a Prop and with a Column that appeareth and sitteth on his Throne disposing all things He causeth the Sun and Moon to move until the day appointed he disposeth all things at his will and manifesteth to Men the signs of his Omnipotency Peradventure you will believe in the Resurrection of the flesh He it is that hath extended the Earth raised the Mountains caused the Rivers to flow who created of all sorts of Fruits the Male and Female and covereth the Day with the obscurity of the Night These things are signs of his unity to such as consider them He hath created many Fields of divers sorts and Gardens filled with Grapes and many different Fruits he created Date Trees thick as Groves and Forests and others that are scattered through the Fields some are moistened with Waters and others have a more pleasing taste These things are signs of his unity to such as consider them Thou art amazed at the lies of Infidels be astonished at their discourses when they deny the Resurrection and say What shall God yet once again create us of the dust of the Earth When we shall be Earth shall we be a new people They are impious they shall have Oaks upon their Necks and shall remain eternally in the fire of Hell they precipitate themselves into eternal pains and contemn the mercy of God so did their predecessors but God is gracious to such as convert Chastise severely the obstinate Infidels They have said We will not believe in the Prophet unless we see some miracle to appear Say unto them I am not sent but to preach the word of God. He hath sent persons to every Nation to teach them the right way nothing is hid from him in the World he knoweth what Women bear in their Womb he knoweth the time and period of every thing the present past and future he is great and Omnipotent He understandeth what you keep secret and what ye make manifest he knoweth where they be who cover themselves with the obscurity of Night and them that travel in the clearness of Day every one hath his guardian by his commandment who observeth what he doth and depriveth none of grace that hath not offended his Divine Majesty and none can hinder him to punish whom it seemeth good to him He it is who giveth you to see the lightning which terrifieth Men and nourisheth his Creatures by the Rain which he causeth to fall he created the Clouds charged with moysture causeth Thunder to make a noise darteth the Thunderbolt and striketh whom it pleaseth him the Angels tremble in his Presence yet do the wicked dispute his Omnipotency He it is who ought to be implored the prayers of them who implore another God are ineffectual they are like to such as are very thirsty and stretch forth the hand towards a Fountain to which they cannot reach the prayers of the wicked are impiety Whatsoever is in Heaven and in the Earth the shadow of the Morning the obscurity of the Evening humble themselves before God through force or affection Say unto them Who is the Lord of Heaven and Earth but God Who except God shall protect you your Idols can neither benefit nor hurt you Is the blind like unto him that seeth clearly Is darkness like unto light Shall they adore the Creatures instead of the Creator God hath created all things and is Omnipotent he causeth Rain to descend from Heaven and Rivers covered with Foam to flow in the Valleys The Gold the Silver and Metals which ye melt to adorn and enrich your selves are like unto Froth Thus doth God teach what is profitable and what unprofitable Froth suddenly vanisheth and is of no utility to Men So falshood vanisheth before Truth Thus doth God speak through a Parable to them that obey him and giveth them Paradise All the riches of the Earth and as much again cannot ransom the Infidels they shall be eternally tormented in the fire of Hell. Who knoweth that the truth contained in this Book was not sent to thee from God He that doubteth is blind Men of Spirit do not doubt They who satisfie what they promise to God who transgress not his Commandments who have his fear before their eyes who apprehend the Day of Judgment who are patient in their afflictions for love of his Divine Majesty who make their prayers at the time appointed who give alms privately and publickly and blot out their offences with good works shall be blessed They shall enter into the Garden of Eden with their Father their Wives and Families the Angels shall visit them shall salute them and say Behold the recompence of your perseverance behold eternal grace Such as shall swerve from their promise and disobey the Commandments of God and pollute the Earth shall be accursed of God and severely chastised he giveth and depriveth of wealth as seemeth good to him The unbelievers rejoyce in the riches of the Earth but those riches are of little value if they consider them of the other World. They say If Mahomet doth not make some miracle to appear from God we will not believe him Say unto them God guideth and mis-leadeth whom it pleaseth him he confirmeth the hearts of them that have faith in his Law the remembrance of God confirmeth the hearts of True Believers Such as shall do good works shall be happy We have sent thee as we did send other Prophets to them that preceded thee Teach the people what we have inspired into thee When they shall disobey thee say unto them God is my Lord there is but one God alone I am wholly resigned to his Divine Will my refuge is in his goodness If the Alcoran should make Mountains to go should it cause the Earth to open and the Dead to arise all would proceed from God. True Believers ought not to despair of any thing God shall guide all the World into the right way when it shall please him and unbelievers shall not escape the punishment of their crimes Thou shalt dwell with them until the word of God be fulfilled He swerveth not from what he promiseth they derided the Prophets that came before thee I prolonged the time of their punishment and in the end rigorously chastised them and with what afflictions Doth not God behold the actions of every Man They have said God hath Companions to whom they have given names after their fancy will you instruct God in any thing The wicked take delight in their wickedness and are gone astray from the right way He whom
ye do your Law is one Law and I alone am your Lord take heed to your selves follow not the Law of the Infidels every one liketh what he doth depart from the wicked and leave them in their errors an account shall be required of them of the riches and of the Children that we have given them but they know it not Such as fear the punishment of their Lord that obey his Commandments profess his Unity give Alms of the substance that he hath given them and fear in their Heart that they are not acceptable to them shall appear in his presence such as shall obey him shall enjoy his grace he requireth not of any man what he is unable to perform We have a Book that declareth the truth no injustice shall be done to him that shall do what he is able certainly the Infidels are in ignorance of the Alcoran they act what is quite contrary to that which is commanded True believers but we have punished the chief among them in their prosperity Be not this Day resolute ye shall not be protected of us Our Commandments are taught you nevertheless ye are returned upon your steps and are risen against the Faith and in discoursing by Night withdrew your selves from the Righteous Consider they not the words of the Alcoran Doth it contain any thing that hath not been ordained to their Predecessors Know they not the Prophet that God hath sent to them Wherefore will they not acknowledg him Will they say that he is possessed of the Devil On the contrary he teacheth them the truth nevertheless the greatest part of them detest him if their will had place Heaven and Earth and whatsoever is betwixt them should be confounded we have instructed them in the Law which they ought to observe but they have renounced it Dost thou require of them any recompence for thy instructions Thy Lord shall reward thee there is none that is of power to recompence thee better than He. Call them to the right way such as shall not believe the Resurrection shall err If we pardon and deliver them from affliction they will still continue in their errors to their confusion we heretofore chastised them nevertheless they humble not themselves neither implored their Lord and when we opened upon them the gate of our Judgments they became desperate God hath 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 God's Say unto them know ye not then that he that created you 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 son were there another God with God the one would undo 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 to see the effect of all that thou hast promised to them and put me not among the unjust deliver us from evil and do good to us I know their impiety Lord deliver me from the temptations of the devil 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 than I have done there is no return it is to speak in vain there is an obstacle behind them that detaineth them until 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 shall be light of good works Have not my Commandments been preached unto you wherefore did ye contemn them They shall say Lord our misery prevailed over us we are 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 merciful Ye have derided them O ye wicked and have despised my Commandments 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 been there a day or some days ask of the Angels appointed to keep the account ye have been there but a litte time did ye know it do ye believe that I have created and assembled you before me in vain Praise and exalt God King of Truth there is no God but he he is King of heaven he is void of reason that invoketh another god with Him he shall give account of his actions and the Infidels shall be miserable Say Lord pardon the sins of the righteous thou art the great merciful CHAP. XXIV The Chapter of Light containing Seventy and four Verses written at MEDINA IN the name of God gracious and merciful We have sent this Chapter containing our Commandments clear and intelligible peradventure ye will learn them The Catamite and the Concubine shall be whipt with an hundred stripes take heed left clemency cause you to forget the precepts of the Law of God believe in his divine Majesty and the day of Judgment Some of the True believers shall be witnesses of their punishment The Catamite lying with a Concubine or an Infidel the Concubine lying with a Catamite or Infidel these things are forbidden the True believers He that shall accuse an honest woman of adultery shall be whipt with twenty four stripes unless 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 merciful They that shall accuse their wives of adultery and have no witnesses shall swear four times that they speak the truth and
his Divine Majesty for them that have his fear before their eyes I will one day assemble Idolaters with their Idols God shall say unto them you are they who have seduced my creatures from the right way they shall say praised be thy Name we ought to have worshipped none but thy Divine Majesty but the wealth that thou gavest to our Magistrates and their life which thou didst prolong caused them to forget thy Commandments they were pernicious men in that they abjured thy Law they cannot this day be exempt from the punishment of our crimes neither protect us against thy wrath The Idolaters shall be rigorously punished the Prophets that we sent before thee did eat Bread and Meat and walked through the streets we prove them one after another Persevere God beholdeth them that are patient Those that believe not in the Resurrection have said The Angels are not descended from Heaven we have not seen God they are become proud and are fallen into an exceeding great error but the wicked shall one day be without comfort when they see the Angels they shall cry help help We will set before their eyes all the sins that they have committed the good works which they shall think to have done shall be like to dust which the wind carryeth away and the blessed shall enjoy a most certain good they shall hear of nothing but what contenteth them When the Heaven and the Air shall divide themselves and the Angels shall descend then shall the truth appear and the merciful shall Reign that day shall be tedious to Infidels they shall bite their fingers and say would to God I had followed the Prophet and his Apostle Oh misery would to God I had not contracted amity with such an Infidel he seduced me from the right way he hindred me to believe in the Alcoran which God sent certainly the Devil hath tempted men Then shall the Prophet say Lord such as have followed me have obeyed what is written in the Alcoran and the Infidels have rejected it We have appointed an enemy among the wicked to every Prophet of them that were before thee but it sufficeth thee that God guideth and protecteth thee The Infidels have demanded if the Alcoran was sent all at once I have so done to confirm the truth in thy heart I have sent it piece by piece they shall not shew thee any thing like unto it I have instructed thee in the Truth clear and intelligible the incredulous shall be confined in the Fire of Hell and be most miserable Certainly We gave to Moses the Book of the Law we sent with him his Brother Aaron to assist him and said unto them Go both of you preach unto Infidels we will destroy them unless they be converted When the People of Noah despised our Commandment we drowned them and made them serve for example to Posterity and prepared great torments for the impious Remember Aad Temod and those that dwelt nigh unto the Well a long time after them we spake to them in Parables and destroyed them Oh ye wicked consider the misery of the City upon which fell that mischievous Rain that destroyed them because the Inhabitants believed not in the Resurrection When the Infidels saw thee appear they derided thee and said This Prophet would seduce us and make us to abandon our God we had patience and deferred our punishment They shall know at the Day of Judgment them that have been seduced Hast thou considered the action of him that spake of his God after his fantasie Wert thou his Tutor to hinder him to speak Dost thou believe that the greatest part of the wicked hear and understand what thou speakest to them They are like Beasts and worse Seest thou how thy Lord sheddeth the Rose Were it his will it should be permanent the Sun hath caused it to melt and attracteth it gently to himself He it is that created the Night for repose and the Day for labour He it is that sendeth the Winds by his special grace he maketh Rain to descend from Heaven to refresh the Earth to give it life to water the beasts and for the contentment of men we have divided it among them that they may be mindful of our grace nevertheless the greatest part of them are ungrateful Had we so pleased we had sent to every City a preacher to preach unto the Inhabitants the Torments of Hell obey not Infidels preach to them frequently what is written in the Alcoran It is God that hath sweetned the water of Euphrates that joyned the two Seas that made them Salt and put between them a separation to hinder them to mix He created Man and Woman of a little water to increase and multiply together thy Lord can do whatsoever him pleaseth yet do the Infidels adore what can neither benefit nor hurt them and assist the devil their master to tempt the world We sent thee only to preach the torments of hell and to proclaim the joys of Paradise Say unto them I require not of you reward for my preaching he that shall be acceptable to God will follow the way of his Law Praise and exalt thy Lord trust in him he knoweth all the sins of men he created the heavens and the â—…arth in six days and sitteth on his Throne learn this of him that knoweth it When it was said to the Infidels worship the merciful God they said what merciful shall we worship what ye appoint us and they added to their impiety Blessed be he that created the signs of heaven that created the Sun and the Moon full of Brightness and light and hath made the dayes to succeed each other to return him thanks for his graces The servants of the merciful that walk with humility that salute the ignorant when they speak to them Such as pray to and worship God day and night such as say Lord deliver us from the torments of hell those that fear God that are not prodigal nor covetous that follow the middle way betwixt prodigality and avarice those that worship one God that kill no man but with reason and following the Commandments of God and that are not luxurious shall enjoy eternally the grace of God such as do the contrary shall be chastised their punishment shall be augmented at the day of Judgment and they shall be damned for ever except him that shall be converted and shall have done good works God shall give him pardon of his sins he is gracious and merciful They who do good works and repent who make no false oath who are humble and are not wilfully deaf and dumb when they hear the Alcoran read and say Lord give us and our posterity children that may be the light of our eyes and be obedient to thee work in us a fear to disobey thy Commandments such persons shall enjoy eternally the delights of Paradise for reward of their perseverance they shall there find salutations and benedictions with immense graces Say unto the
At her arrival they shewed it her and asked if it resembled her own she replyed It resembleth it as if it were the same She had knowledg of the right way but that which the People and the 〈◊〉 instead of God had seduced them from the obedience of his divine Majesty They spake to her to enter into a gallery when she beheld the pavement she believed it to be Water and in lifting up her Robe fearing to wet it discovered her Leg. Solomon told her that the pavement 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 and his People to exhort them to worship one God He said unto them O People flie to the Mercy of God if ye implore pardon of him ye shall be pardoned They said Wouldst thou draw us into thine error And into the error of them that are with thee He said God shall chastise you ye are Seditious They were Nine persons in the City that defiled 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 seek 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 subtil than 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 knowledg of our Omnipotency We served the Prophet and all the True believers that were with him Remember thou the History of Lot who said to his Citizens Will ye alway defile your selves in uncleanness in each others view Will ye love men more than women Ye are ignorant They replyed Let us drive Lot and his Family out of our City they defile not themselves like us We preserved him with all his Family except his Wife 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 than such as believe there are many Gods Who created the Heavens and the Earth Who caused Rain to fall from Heaven Who hath made many delicious Gardens to bring forth You have not the power to cause the plants to spring forth without the assistance of God. Certainly unbelievers do err from the right way Who hath established the Earth and made the Rivers to flow Who hath made heavy the Mountains Who but God hath put separation that is between 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 Nevertheless few men give him thanks Who guideth in the darkness of the Earth and Sea Who but God sendeth the Winds the forerunners of Rain He is most high and most powerful but the wicked will not consider the effects of his Omnipotency Who formeth men Who maketh them to live die 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 alledg 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 Contrariwise 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 self 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 far from you ye throw your selves headlong into it but God is pitiful towards his People nevertheless 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 intelligible Book the Alcoran explaineth to the Children of Israel the greatest part of their difficulties it will guide them in the right way and deliver from Hell them that shall believe thee thy Lord shall 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 Deaf shall not hear thee and unbelievers shall depart from thee pensive and astonished thou oughtest not to guide the blind neither to make the deaf to hear 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 will cause a Beast to come from under the Earth that shall speak unto them and shall say The People believe not in the Law of God they know not his wondrous works Be thou mindful of the Day when I will assemble a Multitude of all Nations that have disobeyed my Commandments to give account of their actions I will say unto them Ye have traduced my Prophets ye know â—…ot what ye said What have 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 mindful of the Day wherein the Angel shall sound the Trumpet and whatsoever is in Heaven and 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 done evil shall remain in the Fire of Hell it shall be said unto them Are ye not chastised according to your demerits Say unto the People I command you to worship the Lord of this priviledged City all things appertain to him I command you to believe in the Unity of his Divinâ—… Majesty and to study the Alcoran who so doth good shall find good Say unto them that shall be seduced I am sent only to preach the Torments of Hell say to True believers Praised be God that hath given you to see his Miracles and hath given you knowledg of the right way thy Lord is not ignorant of what they do CHAP. XXVIII The Chapter of
most miserable Pharoah said to his Ministers do ye know any other God but me O Hâ—…min let me offer sacrifices and build a Temple shall I deceive my self with the God of Mâ—…ses I believe him to be in the number of lyars He became proud on earth with his Ministers and they believed that they should never be assembled 〈◊〉 me to be judged we surprized him with his people and caused him to perish in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of unbelievers we abandoned them and they are in the number of the condemned to the fire of hell They shall find none to protect them at the day of Judgment we cursed them on earth and at the day of the Resurrection they shall be abominable to all the world We taught Moses our Commandments after the destruction of many Infidels before his coming We gave him the Book to be a light to the people to conduct them into the right way and acquire our grace peradventure they will remember Thou wert not with Moses when we spake to him to him we created another age after him thou didst not at that time dwell with the Inhabitants of Madian neither didst thou teach them our Commandments it is we that have instructed thee in the History of past ages thou wert not on the mountain when we spake to Moses we sent thee through our special grace to preach to men the torments of hell they have not yet had a preacher like unto thee perhaps they will consider it when they felt any punishment for their sins they said Lord hadst thou sent us an Apostle to instruct us we should have obeyed thy Commandments and have believed in thy Law and when on our part they were instructed in the Truth they said doth Mahomet work miracles like Moses Do they not traduce what Moses did when they say that Moses and Mahomet are two apparent Sorcerers and when they said that they believed neither Prophet nor Scripture Say unto them bring any book from God that better teacheth the right way than the Old Testament and more savingly than the Alcoran I will follow it if ye speak the truth If they be not heard when they shall require this book know that they follow only their own appetites and their impiety who is more erroneous than he that followeth but his own passion and is not guided of God He guideth not Infidels Certainly we have sent them the Alcoran peradventure they will believe in it they to whom we heretofore sent this Book believe in the contents thereof when they hear it read they say we believe in those words it is the very Truth that proceedeth from God we believe in the Unity of his Divine Majesty they shall be doubly rewarded because they have persevered in well-doing they have overcome evil through their good deeds and have expended in good works part of the Wealth that we gave them When they heard the Faith evil spoken of they withdrew themselves took leave of the company and said Ye shall answer for your selves and we for our actions Regard not the ignorant thou shalt not convert all them that thou shalt desire to convert God converteth and guideth into the right way whom he pleaseth and knoweth such as serve him They said if I follow with thee the right way I must forsake my Country Shall not I establish them in a place of safety where they shall find all sorts of fruits to enrich them But the greatest part of the People know it not How many Cities have we destroyed that took pleasure in their evil life No man inhabited them any more except very few and we became heirs of their riches God shall not destroy Mecca until he have sent an Apostle to instruct the Inhabitants thereof in the right way God destroyeth not a City if the Inhabitants be not unjust and disobey not his Commandments the Wealth of this World which ye possess pleaseth you but the Riches of Heaven are much better and eternal will ye not understand it Have we not kept promise with them to whom we promised Paradise And with them to whom we promised the Riches of this World and in the end were in the number of the damned Be thou mindful of the day when thy Lord shall call them and say unto them where are your Idols which ye believed to be my Companions The chief of them shall say Lord behold those that were seduced like us we are innocent of their Idolatry they adored not us they shall speak that day to the Idolaters to invoke their Idols but they shall not hear them they shall be visibly chastised on Earth Be thou mindful of the day when thy Lord shall call them and say unto them Wherefore have ye not believed my Apostles and my Prophets They shall be confounded and remain dumb He that shall be converted and do good works shall be happy Thy Lord createth what pleaseth him and maketh choice of what seemeth to him good Praised be God he hath no Companion he knoweth what is in the hearts of men and what they make manifest he is God there is no God but he praise is due to him in the beginning and in the end he commandeth over all things and all People shall one day be assembled before him to be judged say unto them Had God given a continual Night even until the Day of Judgment what other God is there that is able to give you light Will ye not hear me Had God given you a continual Day until the Day of Judgment what other God could have given the Night to refresh you Will ye not consider his benefits and his grace He hath created the Night for repose and the Day for Labour peradventure ye will give him thanks Be thou mindful of the Day when thy Lord shall call the Infidels and shall say unto them where are the Idols that ye worshipped We will call a witness of every Nation and will say to the Idolaters Bring your arguments that may prove the Plurality of Gods Ye shall this day know your Blasphemies and that there is but one God. Caron was of the People of Moses he was proud because of his riches we gave so great treasures that many men were burthened when they conveyed away the Keyes Remember how his People said unto him Rejoyce not above measure in thy great wealth God abhorreth them that rejoyce without reason beg of him Paradise with thy Riches forget not to do good in this World give alms of the substance which God hath given thee be not disobedient to him on Earth he abhorreth those that disobey him these Riches were given thee because thou didst instruct the People in the Old Testament knowest thou not that God destroyed in times past many rich and opulent persons Who is more strong more powerful more rich than God He will not enquire of the wicked the number of their sins he knoweth all and the accompt Caron one daâ—… went forth
one God fear the day of Judgment and defile not the Earth They impudently traduced him but were surprized by an Earthquake and remained dead in their houses as carkasses We destroyed Aad and Temod their ruine is yet apparent in the places of their habitations the Devil tempted and seduced them from the right way notwithstanding they knew their error We destroyed Caron Pbaroah and Haman Moses preached to them my Commandments they contemned them and became proâ—…d in the Earth but escaped not the punishment of their crimes We chastised some by an impetuous wind and others were surprized by thunder we deprived them of their riches and they were drowned God was not unjust towards them they drew mischief on themselves through their impiety They that worship Idols are like to the Spider she buildeth her house of her â—…ob-web that cannot defend from heat or cold They would not adore Idols did they understand what they do God seeth what they worship he is omnipotent and wise I teach the people these parables and none but the wise understand them Truly God created Heaven and Earth it is a sign of his Omnipotency to True believers Instruct them in the book that is inspired into thee make thy prayers at the time appointed prayers divert men from sin to be mindful of God is the best work thou canst perform he knoweth all the actions of men Dispute with mildness against them that have knowledg of the written Law except against the wicked that are among them Say unto them We believe in what hath been taught you and in what hath been taught us Your God and our God is one God we are resigned to his divine will. We have sent thee the Alcoran as we sent to them the Old Testament Such as understand the Old Testament believe in the Truth of the Alcoran Thou hast not written it with thine own hand hadst thou written it thou hadst caused them to doubt who desire to make it void Certainly it containeth and teacheth intelligibly the Commandments of the Law none but Infidels reject it They have said We will not believe in this Book unless God work in it some miracle Say unto them Miracles proceed from God I am sent only to preach the torments of Hell. Is it not sufficient that we have sent thee the Alcoran to instruct them It containeth the effects of my mercy and precepts necessary for their salvation Say unto them it sufficeth that God is witness of mine actions betwixt you and me he knoweth whatsoever is in Heaven and in Earth They that believe in Idols and have not faith in God are damned They urge thee to make them see the punishment of their crimes if the time were come they should soon feel it they shall rescent it when they least think of it but they know it not they shall press thee to make them see it Say unto them Hell is prepared for Infidels When they shall be plunged in torments over their heads and under their feet it shall be said unto them Taste the punishment which ye have deserved O ye people that believe The Earth is sufficiently large and spacious for you to separate your selves from the wicked worship me alone all Creatures shall die and be assembled before me to be judged The True believers that shall have done good works shall inhabit Paradise wherein flow many rivers wherein is the reward of the righteous of them that persevere to do good and are patient in their affliction and trust in their Lord. How many beasts be there that have not wherewith to live God nourisheth them and you also he understandeth and knoweth all things If thou ask of the Infidels who created Heaven and Earth the Sun and the Moon they will say It is God. Wherefore then do they deny his Unity God enricheth and impoverisheth whom â—… leaseth him he is omniscient If thou demand of them who causeth the rain to fall from Heaven to give life to the Earth after the death thereof they will say It is God. Say unto them Praised be God that ye avouch it nevertheless the greatest part of men understand it not The life of this world is but sport and vanity life is in Paradise had they knowledge to comprehend it When they enter into a ship and see the tempest they call upon God and protest to profess his Law And when he hath preserved them on the Land they are ingrateful for his grace and return to their Idolatry they shall too late understand their error Know they not that we have established in Mecca all safety and freedom and that men are taken away by violence to be slain and made slaves believe they in things unprofitable shall they be ingrateful for the graces of God who is more impious than he that blasphemeth against God and impugneth the known Truth is there no place in Hell for the wicked I will guide into the right way them that shall fight for the Faith God is with them that do good CHAP. XXX The Chapter of the Grecians containing sixty Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I am the most wise God. The Grecians were vanquished upon the frontier of the Persians but shall be victorious before the end of seven years God disposeth all things from the beginning to the end When they shall be victorious the True believers shall rejoyce in the victory that God shall give them he protecteth whom to him seemeth good he is omnipotent and merciful He hath promised them victory and departeth not from his promises of which the greatest part of men are ignorant they affect the life of this world and consider not their end Will they not consider that God hath created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them and hath appointed to every thing a limited and prefixed time Certainly the greatest part of the people believe not in the Resurrection Will they not consider the end of their predecessors who were more powerful and wealthy than they God hath sent to all an Apostle to teach them his Law he hath done to them no injustice they have drawn mischief on themselves through their iniquity the end of the wicked shall be like to their works they despise the Commandments of God and deride them but God shall cause them to die and rise again and all shall be assembled before him at the day of Judgment that day shall they be desperate their Idols shall not intercede for them they shall forsake them and they shall be separated from the true believers Such as believe in God and do good works shall enjoy the delights of Paradise and the wicked shall be chastised according to their demerits Praise God pray unto him evening and morning praise is due to him in heaven and earth pray unto him before the Sun set and at the hour of noon he maketh the dead to come out of the living and the living out of the dead he
Companions equal to him they shall repent of their sins when they shall see their punishment we will lay Chains upon their Necks and they shall be chastised after their demerits The chief Inhahitants of the Cities said to the Prophets that we sent to them to preach the torments of Hell that they believe not their words We have said they more riches and more Children than those that believe in their discourse we shall not be damned as they affirm say unto them my Lord giveth and taketh away Riches as seemeth good to him but the greatest part of the People know it not your wealth and your children shall not give you access to God such as shall perform good works shall be rewarded and shall live eternally in the delights of Paradise they that shall endeavour to suppress our Law shall be cast headlong into the Fire of Hell Say unto them My Lord giveth and taketh away Wealth as to him seemeth good he maketh vain the alms which ye shall give if ye observe not his Law he is the Rich of the Rich Be thou mindful of the day when I shall assemble the Idolaters and shall say to the Angels Behold them who have adored you they shall say praised be God thou alone art our master and protector they adored not us they worshipped the Devil the greatest part of them believed in his word this day they are not able to benefit or hurt one another they will say to the unjust taste the torments of Hell Fire which ye would not believe They said when thou didst preach unto them our Commandments this man would hinder us to worship the gods of our fathers he is a Blasphemer They have said That the Alcoran is but Sorcery and Magick and read not the books that we have sent unto them Their predecessors did like them they traduced our Apostles and hindred them to preach the tenth part of what we had inspired into them they traduced them but how were they chastised Say unto them I preach to you to pray to God two by two or alone or in company ye shall know one day that your friend Mahomet is not possessed of the Devil and that he preacheth to you the pains of Hell I require no reward of you for mine exhortations God shall reward me he seeth all Say unto them God teacheth his Prophet the Truth and what is to come the truth appeared and falshood was discovered and the lyars were deprived of his mercy if I wilfully go astray or if I act what God hath enjoyned me this shall be for my Soul God heareth and is present at all things Thou shalt see the Infidels filled with fear and affrighted when they shall come out of their sepulchres they shall not escape the punishment of their incredulity they shall then say That they believe in the Alcoran but I will shew to them from far the Law which they have despised in the World they shall be precipitated with their ignorance into a place remote from mercy and pardon They shall be separated from the True believers because they have doubted the Commandments of the Law of God. CHAP. XXXV The Chapter of the Creator containing Forty and five Verses written at Mecca This Chapter is intituled the Chapter of Angels in the Book Tefsir anf Joahir which treateth of the Exposition of the Alcoran in Turkish IN the Name of God gracious and merciful Praise be to God Creator of Heaven and Earth who created the Angels the Messengers of his Commandments they have wings two three and four he maketh of his Creature what seemeth good to him he is Omnipotent none can comprehend the Grace that he hath given to his People it is incomprehensible he is Omnipotent and most Wise. Oh People remember the grace of God Is there a Creator beside him He enricheth you with the riches of Heaven and Earth there is no God beside him How can the wicked Blaspheme against his Divine Majesty If they traduce thee certainly they traduced the Prophets that were sent before thee they shall be one day assembled before God to be judged Oh ye People what God hath promised is infallible glory not in the wealth of the Earth beware lest the Devil seduce you and render you proud because that God doth a while defer the punishment of your crimes The Devil is your Enemy be ye his Enemies he leadeth them that follow him into the Fire of Hell where they shall suffer the rigors of infinite pains their sins shall be remitted that believe in God and do good works Oftentimes he that delighteth â—…o what he doth doth believeth he doth well God misleadeth and guideth whom it pleaseth him be not unwilling to depart from the wicked God knoweth all their actions He sendeth the Winds that drive the Clâ—…uds unto barren and drie places to refreâ—…h thâ—… 〈◊〉 and cause it to revive after its death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manner will he raise again the Dead He thaâ—… 〈◊〉 greatness shall find in God all manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good speeches ascend even to his 〈◊〉 Majesty and our good works are â—…ptable to him Such as conspire against the 〈◊〉 shall endure great torments and their 〈◊〉 become vain and unprofitable God hath created you of dust and mire he created 〈◊〉 men and women the Woman neither conceiveth nor bringeth forth but through his permission no man can either prolong or shorten his life but following what is written in the Book kept in Heaven these things are easie to God. Those two Seas are not like to Euphrates whose water is sweet and pleasant to drink the Water of the Sea is cold and salt nevertheless ye eat of the Fish of the one and the other Ye Fish out of the Sea Gems to adom you you see the Ship to run upon the Waters and cleave the waves for the advantage of your commerce peradventure you will return thanks to God for his graces He causeth the Night to enter into the Day and the Day into the Night he created the Sun and the Moon that run in the Heaven till the Day appointed That God who created these things is your Lord the Empire of the World is his the Idols that ye worship have no more power than the skin of an Almand if ye invoke them they shall not hear you they shall deny you at the Day of Judgment and are not of power to let you know either the joys of Paradise or the torments of Hell. Oh ye People ye are poor and necessitous ye have need of Gods assistance and God hath no want of you praise is due to him in every place he will destroy you if it seem good to him and create another new People in your place none shall bear the burden of another be it never so light or heavy no not when they are near of kin Preach thou the torments of Hell to such as fear their Lord without seeing him and make their prayers at the time appoâ—…d He that
Apostles of God obey them that require no reward from you for the pains which they take in teaching you and who are in the right way Wherefore shall not I worship him that created me and before whom ye all shall be assembled to be judged Will ye worship another beside him If it be his will to chastise me your Idols cannot save me I should be extremely erroneous should I believe in your Gods hear and understand what I say unto you Nevertheless they slew him and said unto him Go enter into Paradise He said in dying would to God this people knew the graces that his Divine Majesty hath conferred on me he placed me in the number of the blessed After his death we did not send Angels from Heaven to chastise the wicked I will send them but once to destroy them they shall one day be dumb for shame that they have not followed the True-believers and of being mocked by them that I sent to preach unto them my Commandments Will they not consider how much people we have destroyed in times past who are not returned and that shall be one day assembled before me to be judged The Earth dry dead and barren as a sign of my omnipotency for the wicked we made it revive and become green again and to bring forth fruits with which they were satiate we there created Gardens Date-trees and Vines we caused Fountains to 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 him 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 separate the day from the night and to make the Sun to run to his appointed place We have appointed to the Moon her Signs she goeth and cometh always through her old way the Sun neither hastneth nor retardeth his course at any time neither doth joyn himself by night to the Moon the night cometh not until 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 alms 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 Judgment shall be and if ye believe it tell them that they must expect but one sole voice that shall surprize them they shall quarrel they shall not be able to make their Testament neither return to see their Parents in the end they shall go out of their Sepulchres and present themselves before God when the Trumpet shall sound Then shall 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 and chastised after his works Such as shall go into Paradise shall be in exceeding great repose with all manner of contentment they and their wives shall be safe from all evils 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 merciful God shall say to the wicked at the day of Judgment Depart ye this day from the company of the good did I not forbid you to worship the Devil your open enemy but to worship me alone and that it was the right way Did I not tell you that the Devil seduced a multitude of the people Ye would not believe 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 will we can make the Infidels blind they shall find no way they shall not be able to go or come and shall be succoured 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 ingrateful Nevertheless they have worshipped Idols they adored what could not deliver them from the pains of Hell. Afflict not thy self at their discourse I know whatsoever they say and all that they keep secret in their souls Doth not man consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him of dust And that he is too arrogant God hath taught us how he formed his Creatures nevertheless 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 green 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 whom all things appertain and before whom you all shall return to be judged CHAP. XXXVII The Chapter of Orders containing Fourscore Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Orders of Angels that worship God and attend his commands by them that hinder men to obey the Devil 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 We adorned the Heaven and the Earth with Planets and have kept them safe from the malice of the Devils they cannot hear what is
traduced him and were condemned to the fire of hell except such among them as obeyed my Commandments We left his memory happy to posterity thus I reward the righteous he was in the number of them that obeyed my Commandments Lot was in the number of my Prophets and Apostles Remember thou how we delivered him and his family from evident peril except his wife who remained among them that were chastised having saved him we destroyed the wicked they saw in the morning the footsteps of the ruin that befell them the night before will ye not understand this miracle Ionas was in the number of the Prophets Remember thou that he fled in a Ship and was the cause of evil to the Sailors he was swallowed of a Whale had he not repented of his fault he should have continued in the belly of that Fish until the day of Judgment we cast him on the shore extremely feeble we covered him with leaves of Filbert and sent him to preach to more than an hundred thousand persons that we reconverted whose decease we deferred until the time appointed The Infidels have demanded if thy Lord hath daughters as they have sons did we create the Angels male and female in their presence They lye when they say that God hath a son hath he desired to have daughters rather than sons how can you thus blaspheme Consider ye not that he is God alone without children have ye any reason or authority to speak in this manner bring your arguments produce your reason if ye are true The Infidels have said that the Angels were of the lineage of God but the Angels well know that the Infidels shall be damned because of their blasphemies Praised be God he hath neither son nor daughter other than the righteous that worship him and obey his Commandments You with your Idols cannot escape the punishment of your sins ye shall be condemned to the fire of hell There is none among the Angels that knoweth not his place and his order in Paradise to praise and worship his Divine Majesty If the Infidels say we observe the Religion of our Predecessors we are in the right way Say unto them that if they believe not in the Alcoran they shall in fine know their incredulity We have promised protection to believers and Prophets they shall be protected and victorious depart for a time from the wicked consider how God punisheth them they shall feel the punishment of their impiety will they cast themselves headlong into the torments of hell assuredly they will be astonished when they shall feel them depart from their company and consider that they shall not be able to escape the punishment of their crimes Praise thy Lord the Lord of power and greatness above the wicked salvation be to the Prophets and eternal praise to the God of the Universe CHAP. XXXVIII The Chapter of Truth containing fourscore and eight Verses written at Mecca Reader Mahomet intituled this Chapter with the Letter named in the Arabique Alphabet Ssad which signifieth in this place Ssidk that is to say Truth See the Gloss of Gelaldin Kitab el tenoir They have intituled it the Chapter of Truth IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Alcoran that this Book teacheth the way of Salvation nevertheless the Infidels resist the Faith and are among themselves of a different opinion How many have we destroyed in times past that were like unto them They cried and required succors but they were no longer to be succored The Infidels wonder that a man like themselves should be sent to instruct them they say That he is a Magician and a lyar to preach one sole God. It is a strange thing Their Doctors forsook their Assemblies they went to preach through the City and said Persist to adore your Gods we abjure the belief of the unity of God the last Sect did not preach it it is an evident lye Was Mahomet chosen among us to receive alone the Alcoran descended from Heaven Certainly they doubt the Alcoran they shall know the truth when they shall be in the fire of Hell. Have they in their power the Treasures of the mercy of thy Lord omnipotent and bountiful Possess they the Kingdom of the Heavens and Earth and whatsoever is betwixt them If it be so let them ascend into Heaven with their forces assuredly they shall be shamefully beaten in all places The wicked heretofore defamed Noah Aad Pharoah the maker of Charmes and Temod the Inhabitants of the City of Lot those that dwelt in the Forest and their companions traduced the Prophets and were punished after their demerits nevertheless the Infidels consider not that they shall be chastised when the trumpet shall sound at the day of Judgment and that they shall no more return on earth to be converted They say in scorn Lord give us to see the Book of the Accompt of our sins before the day of Judgment Persevere and be patient be not troubled at their discourse and call to mind our servant David stout and zealous in my Law the Mountains and the Birds praised me with him they assembled in his presence and obeyed him we gave force to his reign and endued him with knowledg and eloquence Hast thou learnt Davids quarrel when they hindred him to enter into the Temple and how he feared his enemies When they entred towards him they said unto him Be not afraid we have a dispute among us judg our difference with equity and teach us the right way This man is my brother he hath fourscore and nineteen sheep I had but one which he hath ravished from me because he was stronger than I. David said He hath done thee wrong art thou troubled for one Ew The greatest part of men arose against their neighbour except such as believe in the Law of God and observe his Commandments which are few in number Then David knew that we had tried him he implored pardon of his sin he humbled himself worshipped us and was converted We gave him pardon of his fault we drew him near unto us and lodged him in a place of content I said unto him O David we have established thee on Earth to determine the differences that shall arise among the people follow not thine own appetite it will seduce thee from the way of Salvation such as shall err from my Law shall suffer grievous pains at the day of Judgment We have not in vain created the Heaven and the Earth as the wicked affirm misery shall befal them they shall be cast headlong and burnt in the fire of Hell. Shall I alike entreat the believers and unbelievers the righteous and the wicked This Book we have sent it to thee and blessed it to the end the people may meditate the mysteries thereof and the wise reap advantage for their salvation We gave Solomon to our servant David he was extreamly zealous in our service Remember that horses ready and vigorous were presented to him about
is that maketh you to live and to die and when he willeth any thing he saith Be thou and it is See ye not that they that dispute against his Commandments depart from his Law Such as reject our Commandments and what we enjoyned our Prophets to preach to men shall find their errors when they shall see Chains on their Necks and Fetters on their feet they shall be dragged and burned in Hell then shall it be said unto them where are those Idols that ye adored upon Earth They shall answer they are departed from us certainly they are without power thus God seduceth Infidels to their confusion It shall be said unto them These pains befal you for that ye were proud and insolent without reason enter within the gates of Hell which is the habitation of the proud ye shall dwell there Eternally Be patient and and persevere the word of God is infallible I will make thee to see a part of what I have promised to men I will cause thee to die and thou shalt behold them all assembled to be judged Certainly we sent Prophets before thee we have spoken to thee of one part of our Apostles and the rest are concealed from thee neither Prophet nor Apostles can preach any thing without God's permission he chastiseth the wicked when he pleaseth he shall judg the differences that are between them and the Prophets and shall destroy the unbelievers God hath created the beasts for your use some ye eat and others serve you to ride on from them ye reap profit they bear the burden as likewise do the Ships for the advantage of your commerce God manifesteth to you his graces And what graces Will ye despise them Do not unbelivers consider the end of them that were before them who were more powerful and rich than they Their Treasures did not save them they derided the Prophets and Apostles that preached to them and in the end felt the pains that they had despised When they shall fear the torments of Hell they shall say We believe in One God alone and renounce Idols This profession of Faith shall be unprofitable to them in Hell they shall incur the rigor of the Law of God that was observed against their predecessors and all unbelievers shall be damned CHAP. XLI The Chapter of Exposition containing Fifty and Four Verses written at Mecca Reader Gelaldin entituled this Chapter Of Adoration IN the Name of God gracious and merciful The Alcoran was sent by the gracious and merciful God It explaineth Divine Mysteries in the Arabique Tongue to them that have knowledg to understand them it proclaimeth to the good the delights of Paradise and preacheth to the wicked the torments of Hell nevertheless the greatest part of the world depart from the Faith and hear not thy words They say We have obdurate hearts we cannot comprehend what thou preachest our ears are stopped we are too remote to hear what thou sayest Observe thy Law we will live after our own Say unto them I am a man like you your God is one sole God be obedient to him and beg pardon of him for your sins Misery is upon unbelievers that pay not Tythes and believe not in the day of Judgment The believers that shall do good works shall enjoy an infinite reward Say unto them How will ye be wicked towards him that created the Earth in two days how can you say that he hath a Companion equal to him He is sole Lord of the Universe he raised the Mountains blessed the Earth and gave to every Region the particulars thereof in four days for them that shall have need After this he ascended into Heaven that was like unto smoke and said unto Heaven and Earth Ye shall obey me either through force or affection They answered Lord we will be obedient to thy Commandments He created seven Heavens in two days and disposed every Heaven after his own will he adorned them with Stars and preserveth them from the malice of the Devil This is an effect of his Omnipotency he is omnipotent and knoweth all things If the unbelievers depart from the Faith say unto them I have threatened you as heretofore thunder did the people of Aad and Temod when the Prophets taught them the Law of the ancient True-believers to wit To worship but one God They said Were it Gods pleasure to alter our Law he would have sent us Angels to reach unto us we will not beiieve in thy Mission The people of Aad waxed proud on the Earth without reason and said Who is more powerful than we will they not consider that he that created them is more powerful and wealthy than they Nevertheless they despised our Commandments We sent against them a cold and impetuous wind in an unhappy time that made them to suffer on Earth shame and ignominy because of their crimes He shall cause them to feel the pains of Hell that are much greater than those of the Earth and they shall be eternally deprived of protection We instructed the men of Temod in the right way they preferred blindness to light and impiety to Salvation they were surprized by thunder and suffered great afflictions because of their sins We saved none of them but the believers who had our fear before their eyes Be thou mindful of the day that the enemies of God shall be assembled in Hell they shall defend their cause before the Judg until testimony be brought against them their ears their eyes and their skin shall be witnesses of their iniquities They shall say Wherefore do ye witness against us They shall answer He that made us to speak giveth speech to every thing he it is that created you and ye are this day assembled before him to be judged Ye did not well conceal your selves when ye offended him your ears your eyes your skin are witnesses against you ye believed that God should not see your sins this was your opinion Certainly he shall chastise you and you all shall be in the number of the damned Persevere and be thou patient the fire of Hell shall be their habitation they shall not be able to please God in the flames We have given them the Devils for their Companions who caused them to delight in sin The word of God shall be accomplished against them as it was accompllshed against their Predecessors as well men as Devils that are condemned The unbelievers have said Hear not that Alcoran it is full of error peradventure ye shall be seduced I will cause them to suffer grievous pains and will chastise them after their demerits such is the reward of Gods enemies They shall remain eternally in the fire of Hell because they despise his Commandments The wicked shall say at the day of Judgment Lord let us see the Devils and the men that seduced us we will trample them under our feet and precipitate them to the bottom of Hell. Such as shall have professed the Law of God as shall have
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 far 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 astray 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 and reward the just He pardoneth their venial sins who flie sins mortal he is exceeding merciful He knoweth that he hath created you of Earth 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 abandoneth the faith A little wealth was given him and nothing more doth he know what must befal 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 shall have but what he shall have gained he shall in the end see his labour be rewarded after his works and all shall appear in the presence of thy Lord. He it is that causeth to laugh and mourn to live and to die 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 Aad and Temod drowned the People of Noab 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 Hell 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 scoff and lament not when ye are spoken to but ye shall be surprized in your sin if ye humble not your selves before God neither worship him CHAP. LIV. The Chapter of the Moon containing Fifty five Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful The Day of Judgment approacheth the Moon was divided into two parts nevertheless Infidels believe not Miracles when they see them they say that this is Magick they lye and follow but their passion but all is written The History of past Ages full of salutary Counsels was preached to them nevertheless Preachers were to them unprofitable depart thou far from them when they shall be called to the Universal Judgment which they will not believe that Day shall their eyes be troubled with fear they shall come out of the Earth dispersed like frighted Grass-hoppers they shall flock to him that shall summon them to 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 Devil Noah exhorted them and invoked his Lord in the end he said That his strength was gone and that he was overcome through the malice of men then was he powerfully succoured we opened the gates of the Heavens and caused an extraordinary Rain to fall we caused Fountains to issue forth 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 Ark well pinned and chaulked it floated upon the waters through our permission to serve for a token of our Omnipotency will any of the unbelievers 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 punishment 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 Hell was he alone elected among us to receive the inspirations of God No he is an Impostor but in the end they knew them that were wicked and lyars We sent the Camel 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 drink nevertheless they called their companions and slew the Camel of Salhe but in what manner were they chastised I darted Thunder against them which made them dry as Chaff we have made the Alcoran easie to be understood Will there be any to study it Lot's Citizens traduced him and despised his instructions we sent against them an hot wind with burning stones that destroyed them and we in the Morning saved Lot with his Family through our special grace thus do I recompence them that acknowledge my benefits Lot had preached to them the pains of Hell we surprized them when they disputed against his exhortations they saw his guests enter into the City in the figure of men we blinded their sight and said Taste oh ye wicked the punishment of your crimes in the Morning they were chastised with a perpetual 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 Pharaoh were preached unto they would not obey my Law and despised my Miracles but we surprized them in their sins Are the Infidels that are among you of more value than those that preceded them Find ye any Salvation for them in the Scripture 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 than 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 twinkling of an eye the thing was we heretofore destroyed a great number of Infidels like unto them will there be any that considereth it All the good and the evil that they have done is exactly written The Righteous shall dwell in pleasant Gardens they shall drink in Eternal 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
form which ye know not we caused the soul to enter into the body if ye consider not this think upon your tillage do ye make the earth to bring forth fruits or do I cause them to spring forth If I will I can render your fields drie as straw without grain nevertheless are ye proud Ye say what shall our grain that we have sown be lost No we will preserve it Consider the water that ye drink have ye made it to fall from the Clouds or did we cause it to descend if we please we can render it so salt that ye shall not be able to drink it if ye acknowledg not this grace consider the fire that ye kindle did ye create the wood that burneth We created it to put you in mind of the fire of Hell and for the profit of the people Exalt the name of God most mighty I swear by him that maketh the Stars to fall this is a great oath if ye understand it that the Alcoran is a book worthy of praise all therein is written in good order no person shall handle it that is not clean and purified it is sent from God Lord of the Universe If ye renounce what is written in this book ye shall be in the number of Infidels and shall know the truth when the soul shall forsake your body I know this better than you but ye do not consider it if ye believe not to rise again cause your soul to return into your body when it shall be upon your lips when a righteous man dyeth he shall find rest and all manner of contentment in the delights of Paradise if he be of them that hold the book of the account of their works in the right hand and shall be free from eternal pains If he be in the number of Infidels and seduced he shall be precipitated into hell this is a most certain truth Exalt the name of thy Lord Omnipotent CHAP. LVII The Chapter of Iron containing twenty nine Verses written at Medina IN the name of God gracious and merciful All that is in the heavens and earth exalteth the glory of God he is omnipotent and wise the Kingdom of the Heavens and Earth is his he giveth life and death to whom he pleaseth he is without beginning and without end he knoweth all that men make manifest and whatsoever they keep secret he knoweth all things He it is that created the earth and the heavens in six days and â—…itteth on his throne he knoweth whatsoever entreth into the earth and all that cometh out he knoweth whatsoever descendeth from heaven and whatsoever ascendeth he is with you in whatsoever place ye are and seeth all your actions the Kingdom of the heavens and earth is his and all things obey him He maketh the night to enter the day and knoweth what is in the heart of men Believe in God and his Prophet expend in pious works some part of the wealth that he hath given you he shall give you more Do good abundantly to them that believe in his Law wherefore will ye not believe in God and his Apostle who teacheth you the Commandments of your Lord Ye have promised him to embrace his Law he hath inspired his Commandments into his servant to bring you out of darkness and guide you into light he is gracious and merciful Who hindreth you to make any expence for his glory The inheritance of the heavens and earth is his Such as for his service have expended any thing before the taking of Mecca are not equal in merit to them that fought to conquer that City they are far above them that fought not and shall be protected of his divine Majesty he promiseth Paradise to the righteous and knoweth all your actions Who is he that shall lend to him any alms he shall encrease his substance and give a great reward Be thou mindful of the day when thou shalt see those men and women that have obeyed my Commandments with a light that shall go before them it shall be said to them this day it is declared to you that you shall enter into and dwell eternally in Gardens wherein flow many Rivers and where ye shall find supreme felicity Be thou mindful of the day that the wicked shall say to the True believers Behold us cast your eye to our side that we may partake a little of your light They shall say unto them Return upon your steps to demand light There is a place betwixt them that hath a secret gate full of grace and repâ—…se for the righteous and without environed with misery for the wicked they shall call upon the righteous and say Were not we of your Religion they shall reply Yes but ye betrayed your souls through disobedience ye doubted of the Law of God your blasphemies rendred you insolent until the hour of your death the Devil made you proud and moved you to rise against the Commandments of his divine Majesty this day there is neither ransome nor favour for you the fire of hell is the habitation of the wicked Oh what an habitation Such as believe in God think it no trouble to humble their hearts at the remembrance of the Alcoran and the truth that it containeth they are not like them that heretofore had the knowledg of the written Law they have been a long time without Prophets their hearts are hardned and the greatest part of them have been impious Know that God restoreth life to the earth after the death thereof we have taught you the mysteries of faith peradventure ye will comprehend them God shall multiply the benefits that the righteous shall lend to him and shall return them a great reward Such as believe in God and his Prophet are righteous Martyrs shall be recompenced of God they shall be covered with light and the wicked that disobey his Commandments shall be damned eternally the life of this world is but vanity sport and delusion it is but pride the abundance of wealth and children is like to the rain the wicked wonder at the plants that it produceth in the end they wither become yellow and then are altogether dry the impious shall suffer great torments and the good shall enjoy the mercy of God the life of this world is but matter of pride implore pardon of God Paradise large as heaven and earth is prepared for them that shall believe in his divine Majesty and his Prophet this is an immense grace which he conferreth on whom he pleaseth All the evil that ye suffer on earth in your goods and persons is written in a Book before it befal you it is an easie thing to God to the end that ye afflict not your selves extraordinarily in your displeasures and that ye rejoyce not over-much in your contentments God loveth not the proud he hath not to do with the covetous who recommend avarice to the People and who neglect their duty Praise is due to him praise is due to him in all places certainly
knoweth all things hath revealed it to me that ye may be converted your hearts are inclined to do what is forbidden if ye act any thing against the Prophet know that God is his protector the Angel Gabriel and all the believers will defend him the Angels shall protect him against you If it be his will to repudiate you God shall give him for the future other wives in your place that shall be obedient True believers humble faithful devout contented mild clean Virgins and not Virgins Oh ye that believe in God! strengthen your selves you and your Families in obedience to his Commandments the Idolaters shall burn in the Fire of Hell with their Idols the Angels deputed to torment them disobey not God they execute whatsoever is commanded them Oh ye that are Infidels there is no excuse for you ye shall be chastised after your demerits Oh ye that believe turn to God with affection he shall pardon your sins and make you to enter into Gardens wherein flow many Rivers the light of Faith shall go before the Prophet and them that have followed him when God shall recompence them they shall say Lord give us thy light pardon our sins thou art Omnipotent Oh Prophet fight against the Infidels and the wicked fortifie thy self against them Hell shall be their habitation God teacheth unbelievers a Parable and saith the wives of Noah and the wives of Lot were under the power of my two Servants righteous men they betrayed them but did not escape the punishment of their sin It was said unto them enter into the Fire of Hell with them that go into it God teacheth them a Parable that follow his Law take example by the Wife of Pharaoh she prayed to God and said Lord build me an House in Paradise deliver me from Pharoah from his works and unjust men Mary the daughter of Iosâ—…phat preserved her Virginity we inspired into her our Spirit she believed the words of her Lord and the Scriptures she was in the number of them that obey CHAP. LXVII The Chapter of Empire containing Thirty Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful Praised be he to whom belongeth the Empire oâ—… the World who is Omnipotent and hath created Life and Death to let you know which is the better he is Omnipotent and merciful He hath created seven Heavens one upon another thou seest nothing of what he hath created that is not proportioned raise yet thy sight to Heaven thou shalt not there see any thing defective behold it twice or more often thou shalt not perceive therein any thing vain or imperfect We have adorned the Heaven and the World with Stars we expelled thence the Devils we prepared for them a great fire and the torments of Hell for unbelievers They shall hear horrible and terribble voices that proceed from despair and wrath when they shall be cast thither headlong when they shall enter into Hell by Troops the Overseer of the torments shall say unto them Had you none on Earth that preached to you the pains of Hell Yes shall they reply they were preached to us but we traduced our preachers we said that God did not command to do what they declared that they were lyars and seduced from the right way had we heard them and had we been wise we should not this day have been in the number of the damned they shall confess their sins in the bottom of Hell. Such as fear God without seeing him shall receive pardon of their offences and an exceeding great reward Speak secretly or publickly God knoweth whatsoever ye have in your hearts since the time of your creation he is blessed and omniscient He hath established ways upon the earth go on all sides and live of his good things ye all shall revive and be one day assembled before him to be judged Believe ye that he who is in heaven cannot render the earrh dry and barren and cause it to tremble Believe ye that he who is in heaven is not able to send against you an impetuous wind to destroy you Ye shall hereafter feel what are the torments of hell Your predecessors would not believe them and were chastised for their incredulity Consider ye not the birds that flie over your heads how they extend and shut their wings nothing supporteth them but that mercy that beholdeth all things Who but God shall protect you in your miseries The Infidels are proud Who shall enrich you if God restraineth his grace nevertheless ye persevere in your sins and flie the truth Is he that creepeth on his face like to him that goeth on his feet in the right way Say unto them God hath created you he hath given you sight hearing and sense but few among you return him thanks for his graces Say unto them he created you of earth and ye shall one day be assembled before him to render account of your actions The wicked demand when the day of Judgment shall be Say unto them God knows I am sent only to preach to you the pains of hell Their visages shall become black when they shall see the punishment of their sins approach It shall be said to them behold that which ye have demanded with so much impatience Say unto them did you see that God destroyed me and them that were with me No he gave us his grace Who shall deliver the Infidels from the torments of hell Say unto them God is merciful we believe in him and we are resigned to the will of his divine Majesty ye shall know hereafter them that shall be seduced If the water that watereth your flocks enter under the earth who shall give you other water or another Fountain to supply you CHAP. LXVIII The Chapter of the Pen containing fifty two Verses written at Mecca Bedaoi entituleth this the Chapter of the Letter Noun n and saith that it is as much as to say Whale or great Fish Some other Doctors say that Noun n is the name of the Ink or Table on which the Angels write the Commandments of God Others affirm it to signifie the Inkhorn but many of the Mahometan Doctors intitle this the Chapttr of the Pen. IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Pen and by all that is written that thou art not possessed of the Devil through the grace of thy Lord thou shalt have an infinite reward God hath created thee with a creation high and most illustrious Thou shalt hereafter know and the Infidels likewise shall know one day them among you that are ignorant Certainly thy Lord knoweth them that are seduced and them that follow the right way Obey not the wicked they desire thee to be more inâ—…ulgent towards them and themselves more â—…ild towards thee Obey not those infamous â—…ars those bablers sinners and seducers and wicked persons full of treasures and children When the Mysteries of faith are related to them â—…hey say that they are but fables of antiquity we
Night and its obscurity by Heaven and the Stars thereof by the Earth and its plains by the creation of the Soul by the knowledg of Virtue and Vice That he that shall be purified from his sins shall be most happy and that he who defileth himself with Vice shall be most miserable The People of Temod traduced their Prophet because of their obstinacy but certainly they were chastised The Apostle and Prophet of God said unto them Behold the Camel of God suffer it to drink they derided him and slew that Camel. God severely punished them he spared not his chastisement against them CHAP. XCII The Chapter of Night containing Twenty Verses written at Mecca IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the obscurity of Night by the brightness of Day by the creation of man and woman That your actions are very different He that shall yield to God the obedience that is due to him and believeth in his Unity shall go into Paradise and whosoever shall not praise his Divine Majesty and will not be converted shall go into hell his riches shall not save him and he shall be cast headlong into eternal flames It is we that guide the people we dispose the beginning and end of every thing I preach to you the torments of hell none shall enter there but the wretches that have blasphemed and departed far from the way of salvation he that hath the fear of God before his eyes and giveth alms shall be delivered from the fire of hell every one shall be recompenced for what he hath done for the love of God he shall be satisfied and contented CHAP. XCIII The Chapter of the Sun rising containing ten Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the brightness of the rising of the Sun and by the darkness of Night That thy Lord hath not forsaken thee He doth not hate thee his delay shall be to thee advantage and in the end thou shalt be content Did he not well lodge thee when thou wert an Orphan Did he not well guide thee when thou wert seduced Did not he enrich thee when thou wert poor Do no injury to Orphans devour not the poor and recount the graces that God hath conferred on thee CHAP. XCIV The Chapter of Ioy containing Eight Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful Have not I rejoyced thine heart have not we delivered thee from the burden that was heavy on thy shoulders we have raised thy name and reputation affliction is followed of content when thou shalt have finished thy prayers labour and love thy Lord. CHAP. XCV The Chapter of the Fig containing eight Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Figs and Olives by Mount Sinai and by the safety and freedom that is in this City of Mecca that we created man with proportion afterwards we rendred him contemptible except the true believers that do good works they shall receive an infinite reward After this O wicked man what maketh thee to blaspheme against the Faith is not God the Judg of Judges CHAP. XCVI The Chapter of Blood congealed containing seventeen Verses written at Mecca Bedaoi and Gelaldin call this The Chapter of Reading IN the name of God gracious and mercifuâ—… Read the Alcoran and begin through thâ—… name of God who created all who made maâ—… of a little congealed blood Read the Alcoran and exalt the glory of thy Lord who hath instructed man in the Scriptures who taught him whaâ—… he knew not nevertheless he is in a great errorâ—… he will not consider that he shall return before God. Hast thou considered him that would have hindred one of the servants of God to make his prayers hast thou understood if he were in the way of salvation hast thou seen if he blasphemed if he hath abandoned the faith knoweth he not that God forsaketh him If he desist not hâ—… shall be dragged by the hair into the fire of hell with the wicked he shall quit the place where they assemble to dispute against the faith and the devils shall cast cast them headlong into flames eternal Disobey not the commandments of God persevere in thy prayers worship God always obedience to his commandments shall draw theâ—… near to his divine Majesty CHAP. XCVII The Chapter of Glory or Power containing five Verses written at Mecca IN the name of God gracious and merciful We sent the Alcoran in the night of Glory and Power I have not taught thee the graces of this night of glory and vertue The prayers and good works that are done that night have more of merit and efficacy than those that have been performed in a thousand months The Angels descended that night to the earth thorough the permission of their Lord and salute the true believers until the dawning of the day CHAP. XCVIII The Chapter of Instruction containing eight Verses written at Medina IN the name of God gracious and merciful They that understand the Scripture and believe in many gods will not relinquish their idolatry until they have heard the instruction of the Prophet of God he shall read unto them a book clean and pure wherein are written the precepts of the right way They that know the Scripture are not divided until they have learned this instruction It commandeth to worship one only God to make their prayers at the time appointed and to pay tithes this is the right way The unbelievers that know the Scriptures and adore many Gods shall remain eternally in the fire of hell and shall be most miserable They that believe in one God and perform good works shall be most happy they shall be recompenced of their Lord in the garden of Eden wherein flow many rivers where they shall dwell eternally God shall be satisfied with their obedience and shall give them his blessing prepared for them that fear him CHAP. XCIX The Chapter of the Earthquake containing eight Verses written at Medina IN the Name of God gracious and merciful when the earth shall tremble and shall cast bodies out of their sepulchres man shall demand what it will do they shall tell him news to wit that God hath commanded it to do so That day shall men come out of sepulchres from divers places and shall see the good and the evil that they have done he that hath committed evil of the weight of an atome shall be chastised and he that shall have done good of the weight of an atome shall be rewarded CHAP. C. The Chapter of Horses containing eleven Verses written at Mecca and Medina Some Arabians have called this The Chapter 〈◊〉 Return or of them that return IN the Name of God gracious and merciful I swear by the Horses and the noise that they make with their feet when they return to war and by the fire which they make to arise when they strike their feet against stones that run lightly through