of the infidels as are near youa ; and let them find feverity bin you: and
know that G o d is wichthofe who fear him. Whenever a S u r a is fent d o w n
there are fome of them who fay, Which of you hath this caufed to increafe
in faith ? It will increafe the faith of thofe who believe, and they (hall rejoice:
but unto thofe in whofe hearts there is an infirmity, it will add far
tb e r doubt unto their prefent doubt; and they lhall die in their infidelity
Do they Hot fee that they are tried every year once - or twicec ? yet they re
pent not, neither are they warned. And whenever a S u r a is fent. down, they
look at one another, faying, Doth any one fee you d? then do they' t u r n
afide. G od lhall turn afide their hearts from the t r u th ; becaufe they are a people
who do not underftand. Now hath an apoftle come unto you of our o w n
nation ', an excellent perfon : it is grievous unto him that ye commit wick
ednefs; he is careful over you, and compaffionate and merciful towards the
believers. If they turn back, fay, G o d is my fupport: there is no G o d
but he. On him do I trull; and he is the L o r d of the magnificent throne;
* Such o f th e infid els as are near you ;] Either forth, to war, and' by being made witneffes. of
.of your kindred or neighbours ; for thefe claim God’s miraculous protection of the faithful
your pity and care in the fireplace, and their d They look a t one a nother, &c.l They wink at
converiion ought foil to be endeavoured. The one another to rife and leyte the prophet's tais-
perfons particularly meant in this paffage, are fence, if they think they can do ifwithoue being ■'
fuppofed to have been the J ew s of the tribes of obferved; to avoid: hearing the fevere and deferv-'
K o r e id h a and N a d b tr , and thofe of K b a ib a r ; or ed reproofs which they apprehend in; every new
elfe the G r e e t s^ o f S y r ia ’ . . revelation. The perfons intended are the hyp«-
S e v e r ity ;J Or fiercenefs m war. critical Mo jlems.
,c they are tried every year once or twice i\ i.e . ' .Seechap. 3. p. 3 5 .noth.
:By various kinds of trials; or by being called
1 A l Bbidawi.
CHAP. X.
Inti tied, J o n a s 2 ; revealed at M e c c a .
In the name of the mod merciful God.
A L . R.b Thefe are the figns of the wife book. Is it a ftrange thing u n t o
the men of M ecc^s, that we have revealed our-will unto a man from
among themc, faying, Denounce threats unto men i f they believe not; and
bear good tidings unto thofe who believe, that on the merit of their finceri-
ty they have an filtered with their L o r d ? The unbelievers fay, This is manifeft
* This prophet is mentioned towards the end the moft powerful among them neither; fo that
e f the chapter. the Kareifb faid it was a, wonder God could find
See the Prelim..Difc. §. III. p. c9, 60. out no other meffenger.than the orphan pupil of
6 4 man from among themyJ And not one of Abu Taleb I. 1
1 Idem.
nifed forcery \ Verily your L ord is G od, who hath created the heavens
and the earth in fix days ; and then afccnded his throne, to take on himfelf
the government of all things. There is no intercefifor, but by his permif-
fionb. This is G od, your L ord ; therefore ferve him. Will ye not confider?
Unto him lhall ye all return, according to the certain promile of G od : for he
produceth a creature, and then caufeth it to return again ; that he may reward
thofe who believe and do that which is right, with equity. But as for
the unbelievers, they lhall drink boding water, and they Jhallfujfer a grievous
punifhment, for that they have difbelieved. It is he who hath ordained the fun
to Ihine by day, and the moon for a light by night; and hath appointed her
(lations,. that ye might know the number of years, and the computation of
time. God hath not created this, but with truth. ,He explaineth his figns
unto people who underdand. Moreover in the viciffitude of night and day,
and whatever G od hath created in heaven and earth, are furely figns unto
men who fear him. Verily they who hope not to meet us at the lafi day,-
and delight in this prefent life, and red fecurely in the fame, and who are
negligent of our figns ; their dwelling lhall be hell fire, for that which they
have deferved. But as to thofe who believe, and work righteoufnefs, their
L ord will diredt them becaufe of their faith; they lhall have rivers flowing
through gardens of pleafure. Their prayer therein Jhall be, Praife be unto thee,
0 God ! and their falutation | therein Jhall be, Peace ! and the end of their
prayer Jhall be, Praife be unto G od, the L ord of all creatures ! If G od fhould
caule evil to haden unto men, according to their defire of hadening good, verily
their end had been decreed. Wherefore we fuffer thofe who hope not to
meet us at the refurrettion, to wander amazedly in their error. When evil
befalleth a man ; he prayeth unto us lying on his fide, or fitting, or fiand-
ingd,: but .when.we deliver biro, from his afflidtion, he continued! bis former
■ courfe of life,- as though he .had not called upon us to defend him againd the
evil which had befallen him. Thus was that which the tranfgreffors committed
prepared for them. We have formerly dedroyed the generations who were be-
foreyou, O men of MeccU, when they had adted unjudly, and our apodles had
come unto them with evident miracles and they would not believe. Thus do we
reward the wicked people. Afterwards did we caufe you to fucceed them in the
earth ; that we might fee how ye would adt. When our evident, figns are
recited unto them, they who hope not to meet us at the refurretlion, fay,.
Bring a different K oran from this; or make fome change therein. Anfwer,
It is not fit for me, that I fhould change it at my pleafure : I follow that only
which is revealed unto me. Verily I fear, if I fhould be difobedient unto
my L ord, the punifhment of the great day. Say, If-God had fo pleafed, I
had not read it unto you, neither had I taught you the fame. I have already
their idols were intercefforswith God for them.
c Their falutation i] Either the mutual falutation
of the bleffed to one another, or that of
the angels to the bleffed.
d Lying, or fitt in g , or fian din g;] i. e. In all
poftures, and at all times.