A l K O R A N . C h a p . 5,
law from their true places*, and fay, If this be brought unto you, receive
it ; but if it be not brought unto you, beware of receiving ought elfe* ; and in
behalf of him whom God fhall refolve to feduce, thou (halt not prevail with
God at all. They whofe hearts God (hall not pleafe to cleanfe, (hall fuffer
lhame in this world, and a grievous punifhment in the next: who hearken to
a lie, and eat that which is forbidden | But if they come unto thee for judgment.,
either judge'between them, or leave them ■ *; and if thou leave them,
they (hall not hurt thee at all. But if thou undertake to judge, judge between
them with equity ; for God loveth thofe whoobferve juftice. And how will
they fubmit to thy decifion, fince they have the law, containing the judgment
of God.'? Then will they turn their backs, after thisr j but thofe are not true
believers6. We have furely fent down the law, containing diredtion, and light:
thereby did the prophets, who profefied the true religion, judge thefe whoju-
daized ; and the dodlors and priefts alfo judged by the book of God, whiqh
had been committed to their cuftody 5 and they were witnelfes thereofh. Therefore
fear not men, -but fear me ; neither fell my figns for a fmall price. And
whofo judgeth not according to what G od hath revealed, they are infidels.
We have therein commanded.them, that they fhould give life for life“, and eye
tot
they came to-hear Mohammed as (pies-ahly, that
they might report what he faid to their companions,
and reprefent him as i liar ?.
* See Ch. 4. p. 67. Noté b.
6 I f this be brsught unto you, receive it ; but if it be
not brought untoyou,' beware of receiving ought elfei]
That is, if what Mohammed tells.youjagree.s with
feripture, as corrupted and diflocated bÿ ù's, then
you may accept it as the word of G od, but
dfnot, rejeét it.“ Thefe words, it is faid, relate
to the fentence pronounced by that prophet, on
an adulterer and an adulterefs 2,both. perfons of
.Tome figure among the Jews. Tor they, it feems,
tho’ they referred the matter tq Mohammed, yet
direéïed the perfons who carried -the criminals
before him, that if he,ordered them tobefcourg-
.ed/and to have their faces blackened, (by way of
ignominy) they, fhould, acquiefee in his -determination,
but in cafe he rcondemned them to.be
itoned, they fhould not. .And Mohammed pronouncing
the latter fentence againft them, they
refufed to execute, it, till, Ebn Suriya (a Jew)
who'was called upon^.fo décide .rfoe matter, $c-
Jtno.vvled,ged the law. to be fo. ^hereupon they
were honed at the door of .the mofque 3.
c And eat that which is forj>i(tferif\ Some un-
.derjland this of unlawful meats; but others of
taking ox devouring, as it is expreffed, of,.ufury
and bribes +.
* Either judge between them, or leave them f\
*i . e. Take thy choice, whether thou wilt determine
their differences or not. Hence al, Shqfeii
was of opinion that a judge was not obliged fo
decide caixfes'between Jews or Chriftians', tho*
if one ox both of them be tributaries, or under
the prote&ion of the Mohammedans, they are obliged
: this verfe not regarding them. Abu Ha-
mfa however thought that the magiftrates were
obliged to..judge all cafes which were fubmitted
to them'.
* And how will they fubmit to thy decifion, ftnct
they have the law, &c.] In the following paflage
Mohammed endeavours to anfwer the objections
of the ffews and Chriftians, who infilled that
they ought to be judged, the former by thelaw
of Mofes,- and the latter by the gofpel. He allows
that foe law was the proper rule of judging
till the coming of Jefus Cbrift, after which
the gofpel was the rule) burpretends that both
are fet'afide by the Revelation of the "Ktran,
which- js fo far,from being contradictory to either
of the former, that it is moré full and explicit
; declaring feveral points which had been
.ftifled, or corrupted therein, and requiring a ri
^gorous execution of the precepts in both, which
'h,ad been two remifsly obferved, or rather neglected,
by the latter pröfeffors of thofe religions.
* Then will they turn their backs after this j]
T h a t: i§,. notwithflandirig their outward fub-
miffion,they will not abide by thy fentence, tho
conformable to, the law, if it 'contradict their
own falfé and lóofe décifions.
* Thefe. (irj dot true believeri ;] As gainfaying
foe dodVririe of the books which they acknowledge
fp^foripture.
• T A flf tbey were witnejfei,}héréófi\\ That is»
yigllaht, to prevent any corruptions therein.
^ L ift }] The original word is[ foul
1 Al B e i d a w i . See.ch. 3. ./>. 37. net.c. 3 Al $E1DAW4. f .Idem:
Chap. 5- J l K O R A N . «9
for eve and nofe for nofe, and ear for ear, and tooth for tooth; and that
wounds' Jhould alfo he punified by retaliation *: but whoever (hould remit it
as alms it fhould he accepted as an atonement for him. And whofo judgeth
not according to what G o d hath revealed, they are unjuft. We [alfo caufed
Tesus the fon of M a r y to follow the footfteps of the prophets, confirming
the law which was fent down before him; and we gave him the gofpel, containing
dire&ion and light; confirming alfo the law which was given before
it and a direftion and admonition unto thofe who fear G od : that they who
h’ave received the gofpel might jud^ according to what G o d hath revealed
therein i and whofo judgeth not according to what G o d hath revealed,
they are tranfgrefiors. We have alfo fent down unto thee the book of the
Koran with truth, confirming that fcripture which was. revealed before it ; and
preferving the fame Me from corruption. Judge therefore between them according
to that which G o d hath revealed ; and follow not their defires, by faierv-
im from the truth which hath come unto thee. Unto every of you have we
given a law, and an open path ; and if G o d had pleafed, he had furely made
you one people"; but he hath thought fit to give you different laws, that he
might try you in that which he hath given you refpettively. Therefore drive
to excel each other in good works : unto G o d (hall ye all return, and then
will he declare unto.you that concerning which ye have difagreed. _ Wherefore
do thou, O prophet, judge between them according to that which G o d
hath revealed, and follow not their defires; but beware of them, left they
.caufe thee toerrc from part of thofe precepts which G o d hath fent down unto
thee ; and if they turn back d, know that G o d is pleafed to punifh them
forfome of theircrimes; for a great .number of men are tranfgrefiors. Do
they therefore defire the judgment of the time of ignorance *> but who is better
than G o d , to judge between people who reafon aright? O true believers,
take not the jews, or Chriftians for your friends; they are friends the one
ito the other; but whofo among you taketh them for for friends, hew furely
one of them : verily G o d diredeth not unjuft people. Thou (halt fee thofe
in whofe hearts there is an infirmity, to haften unto them, faying, We fear
left fome adverfity befal us1; but it is eafy for G o d to give viftory, or a
N com-
’ See Exod. xxi. 24, &c. people, and which was agreed to be referred to
‘ He had made you one people;] i. e. He had his decifion, they would believe on him : but
given you the iame laws, which ihould have this Mohammed abfolutely refilled to comply
continued in force thro’ ail ages, without being with*.
aboiifhed or changed by new difpenfations; or * I f they turn back;] Or refufe to be judged
he could have fifreed you all to embrace the by the Koran.
Mohammedan religion 1 . e The judgment of the time of ignorance ;] That
S And follow not their defires, but . beware of is, to be judged according to the cuftoms of
them, left they caufe thee to err, &c.J It is re- paganifm; which indulge the paifions and vici-
lated, that fcertain of the JewiJh priefts came ous appetites of mankind : for this, it feems,
to Mohammed with a defign to intrap him ; and was demanded by the JewiJh tribes of Koreidha
having firft reprefented to him, that if they ac- and al Nadar 5. .
knowlcdged him for a prophet, the reft of the lt We fear left fome adverfity befal us;] Thefe
jews would certainly follow their, example, were-the words of Ebn.Qbba, who, when Obd_-
made this propofal; that if he would give judg- dah Ebn alSdmat publickly renounced the friend-
ment for them in a controverfy of moment ihip of the infideis, and profefied that he took
which they pretended to have with their own ■ r G od
1 Idem. 2 Idem. I Idem.