2 1 4 dS K O R A N . C h a p , 16.
we will demand an account from them all, of that which they have wrought.
Wherefore publilh that which thou haft been commanded, and withdraw from
the idolaters. We will furely take thy part againft the fcoffers*, who affo.
ciate with G od another god; they lhall furely know their folly. And now
we well know that thou art deeply concerned on account of that which they lay:
but do thou celebrate the praife of thy L ord ; and be one of thofe whowor-
lhip ; and ferve thy L ord, -until death 11 lhall overtake thee.
it is faid, was done by. ten men, who were all Ebn al Mot'alleb. Thefe were inveterate enemies
flain at Bedr. . Others tranflate the word, who of Mohammed, continually perfecuting him, and
bound themfelves by oath; and fuppofe certain turning him into ridicule; wherefore at length
Thamuditesy I who fwore to kill Saleh by night, Gabriel came and told him that he was command-
are here meant. But the fentence more proba- ed to take his part againft them ; and on the an-
bly relates to the Jews and Cbriftians, who (fey gel’s, making -a fign towards them one after ano-
the Mohammedans) receive fome part of the fcrip- . thet, al Watid palling by fome arrows, one of
ttires, and rejedl others j and alfo approved of them hitched in his garment, and he, out of
fome paflages of tht Koran, and difapproved of pride, not ftooping to take it off, but walking
others, according to their prejudices; or elfe to forward, the head of it cut a vein in his heel,
the unbelieving Meccans, fome of whom called and he bled to death; al As was killed with a
the Koran a piece of witchcraft; others, flights thorn, which ftuck into the foie of his foot, and
of divination; others, old ftories; and others, caufed his leg to fwell to a monftrous fize;
a poetical compofition 1. Oda died with violent and perpetual fneezing;
a We will take thy part againft the /coffers.] al Afwad Ebn Abd Taghuth run his head againft a
This paflage, it is faid, was revealed op account thorny tree and killedhimfelf; and alAfwadibn
of five noble Koreifh, whofe. names were alWa- al Mot alleb was ftruck blind z.
lid Ebn al Mogheira, al As Ebn Wayel, Oda Ebn b Death;] Literally, That which is certain.
Ka'iSy al Afwad Ebn Abd Taghuth, and a l Afwad
1 Id em , J a l l a l o ’ d d i n . . A I H e i d a w i .
C H A P. XVI.
Jntitled, The B ee3; revealed at M e c c a 11.
In the name of .the moft merciful G od.
T H E fentence of G od will furely come to be executed; wherefore do
not haften it. Praife be unto him ! and far be that from him which
they affociate with him ! He lhall caufe the angels to defcend' with a revelation
by his command, unto fuch of his fervants as he pleafeth, faying
Preach that there is no G od, except my felf ;■ therefore fear me. He hath
created the heavens and the earth to manifeft his juftice : far be that from
him which they affociate with him! He hath created man of feed ; and yet
behold
.• This infeft is mentioned about the middle of'the chapter. »
verfes.
Except the three hft
C hap. i 6-;> Al K O R A N . 2 1 5
behold, he is a profeffed difputer againft the refurreSliona. He hath likewife
created the cattle for you :• from them ye have wherewith to keep your
felves warm b, and other advantages ; and of them do ye alfo zat. And they
are likewife a credit unto youc, when ye drive them home in the evening,
and when ye lead them forth to feed in the morning: and they carry your burthens
to-- a difiant country, at which yë could not otherwife arrive, unlefs
with great 'difficulty to yourfelves ; for your L ord is compaffionate and
merciful- And he hath alfa created horfcs, and mules, and affes, that ye may
ride thereon, and for an ornament unto you; and he likewife createth other
things which ye know not. It appertained unto G od, to inftruft men in the
right way; and there is who turneth afi.de from the fame : but if he had plea-
fed he would certainly have directed you all. It is he who fendeth down
from heaven rain water, whereof ye have to drink, and from which plants,
whereon ye feed your cattle, receive their nourifhment. And by means thereof
he caufeth corn, and olives, and palm-trees, and grapes, and all kinds of fruit?
to fpring forth for you. Surely herein is- a fign of the divine power and
mfdom unto people who confider. And he hath’ fubjefted the night and the
day, to your fervice ; and the fun, and the moon, and the ftars, which are
compelled to ferve by his command. Verily herein are figns unto people
of underftanding. And he hath'alfo given you dominion over whatever he hath
created for you in the earth, diftinguilhed by its different colour i Surely herein
is a fign unto people who reflect. It is he who hath fubjefted the fea unto you,
that ye might eat fiffi'thereout, and take from thence .ornaments- for you
to wear: and thou feeft the lhips plowing the waves thereof, that ye may
feefc to enrich 'your felves of his abundance, by commerce ; and that ye might
give thanks. And he hath thrown- upon the earth mountains firmly rooted,'
left it lhould move with you8, and alfo rivers, and paths, that ye might be
directed t and he hath likewife ordained marks whereby men may know their
•way, and they are directed by the ftarsh. Shall G o d therefore who createth,
be
3 Behold he is a profeffed- difputer againft the
refurrelfion ;] The perfon particularly intended-
in this place, was Obbd Ebn Khalf, who came
to Mohammed with a rotten bone, and asked
him whether it was poflible for G o d to reftore
it to life"1. ' ; ‘ : ■ • ' .
b Ye have wherewith to keep your felves warm ;]
viz. Their skins, wool, and hair, 'which férve
you for cloathing.
c A credit unto _you ;] Being a grace: to your
court-yards, and a credit to ybu in the eyes
of your neighbours 2.
d Diftinguijhed by its different colour)] That is,
of every kind ; the various colour of things being
one of their chief diftinftions3. ...
e Fijb i) Literally, frefh fiejh'i by which fifli is
"leant, as being naturally more frefh, and fooner
liable to corruption, than the flefh of birds and
beafis. The expreflron;is thought to have he’en
made ufe of here the rather, beçaufe the production
of fuch" frefh food from1 felt water, is
an inftance of G o d ’s power 4.
f Ornaments ;] As pearls and coral.
g LeftHt JhmiU move with you ;] The Mohammedans
fuppofe that the earth, when fir ft created,
was fmooth and equal, and thereby liable to a
circular motion -as well as the celeftial orbs1; and
that the angels asking, who could be able to ftâncT
on fo tottering a frame, G od fixed it the1 next
morning by throwing the rriountains'oh'it.
h And they are direct'd by the ftars )] Which '
are their guides, not only at fea, but alfo on
land, when they travel by night through the defarts.
The ftars which' they obferve for this
purpofe, are either the pléiades, or fome of
thofe near the pole. . .
1 Idem. 2 Idem. 3 Idem. 4 Idem.