faith*, After Tlhall haveJ been dead, ftiall I really be brought forth alive
from the grave ? Doth not man remember that we created him heretofore,
when he was nothing? But by thy L o r d we will furely affemble them and
the devils to judgmentb; then will we fet them round about hell on their
knees:. afterwards we will draw forth from every fett fuch of them as Jhall ham
been a more obftinate rebel againft the Mercifulc ; and we beft know which
of them are more worthy to be burned therein i *. There fhall be none of you
but fhall approach near the fame ' : this is an eftablifhed decree with thy
L o r d . Afterwards we will deliver thofe who fhall have been pious, but
we will leave the ungodly therein on their knees. When our manifeft figns
are read unto them, the infidels fay unto the true believers, Which of the
two parties is in the more eligible condition, and formeth the more excellent
affenibly ( i But how many generations have we deftroyed before them, which
excelled them in wealth, and in outward appearance ? Say, Whofoever is in
error, the Merciful will grant him a long and profperous life ; until they fee
that with which they -are threatned, whether it be the punifbmentc/ this life,
or that o f the laft hour ; and hereafter they fhall know who is in the worfe
condition, and the weaker in forces. G o d fhall more fully direft thofe who
receive direftion; and the* good works which remain fo r ever, are better in
the fight of thy L o r d than worldly pjfejfions, in refpeft to the reward, and
more eligible in refpeft to the future recompence. Haft thou feen him who
believeth not in our figns, and faith, 1 fhall furely have riches and" children
bellowed on me* ? Is he acquainted with the fecrets o f futurity ; or hath he received
a covenant from the Merciful that it Jhall be fo f By no means. We will
a Man faith;] Some fuppofe a particular
perfon is here meant, namely, Obba Ebn Kbalf1.
b We will affemble them and the devils»] It is
laid that every infidel will appear, at the day of
judgment, chained to the devil who feduced
him
c We will feparate from every fell him who fhall
have been a more obftinate rebel againft the Mercifu
l.] Hence, fays al Beiddwi, it appears that
G o d will pardon fome of the rebellious people.
But perhaps the diftinguifhiiig the unbelievers
.into different claffes, in order to confign them
to' different places and degrees of torment, is
here meant.
d We beft know which are more worthy to be
'burned in belli] viz. The more obftinate and
perverfe, and efpecially the heads of fe&s, who
will fuffer a double punifhment for their own
errors and their fed ucing of others.
e ‘There * is none of you but fhall approach the
fame;] For the true believers muft alfo pafs by
.or through hell, but'the fire will be damped,
and the flames abated, fo as nor to hurt them,
1 See chap. 16. ^ . 2 1 5 . * A l B e i d a w i
4 .Idem, J a l l a l o ’.d d in .
tho’ it will lay hold on the others. Some, however,
fuppofe that the words intend no moie
than the paffage over the narrow bridge, which
is laid over hell 3.
f Which of the two parties, &c.] viz. Of us,
or of you. When the Koreifh were unable to
produce a compofition to equal the Koran, they
began to glory in.their wealth and nobility, valuing
themfelves highly on that account, and de*
Ipifing the followers tsTMobammed.
s Haft thou feen him zirbo believeth not, &c.]
This paffage was revealed on account olalAs
Ebn Wayel, who being indebted to Khabbab,
when he demanded the money, refufed to pay
it, unlefs he would deny Mohammed; to which
propofal Khabbab anfwered, that he would never
deny that prophet, neither alive, nor dead,
rior when he flicfirld be raifed to life at the
laft day j therefore replied al As, when thou
art railed again, come to me, for I fhall then
have abundance of riches, and children, and I
will pay you 4.
. 3 Idem. See the;Prel. Difc. } . IV • P- 91,
furely write down that which he faith; and increafing we will increafe his punifh-
rnent: and we will be his heir as to that which he fpeaketh of % and on the laft
day he fhall appear before us alone and naked. They have taken other gods,
befides G o d , that they may be a glory unto them.“ By no means. Hereafter
fhall they deny their worfhip b; and they fhall become adverfaries c unto
them. Doft thou not fee that we fend the devils againft the infidels, to incite
them to fin by their inftigations? Wherefore be not in haft to call down
deft ruction upon them ; for we number unto them a determined number o f days
of refpite. On a certain day we will affemble the pious before the Merciful
in an honourable manner, as embaffadors come into the prefence o f a prince ;
but we will drive the wicked into hell, as cattle are driven to water: they fhall
obtain no interceffion, except he only who hath received a covenant from the
Mercifuld. They fay, The Merciful hath begotten iffue. Now have ye uttered
an impious thing : it wanteth little but that on occafion thereof the
heavens he rent, and the earth cleave in funder, and the mountains be overthrown
and fall, for that they attribute children unto the Merciful ; whereas
it becometh not G od to beget children. Verily there is none in heaven or
on earth, but fhall approach the Merciful as his fervant. He encompaffethr
them by his knowledge and power, and numbereth them with an exalt computation :
and they fhall all come unto him on the day of refurredtion, deftitute both o f
helpers and followers. But as for thofe who believe and do good works, the
Merciful will beftow on them love*. Verily we have rendred the K oran
eafy for thy tongue, that thou mayeft thereby declare our promifes unto
the pious, and mayeft thereby denounce threats unto contentious people. And
how many generations have we deftroyed before them ? Doft thou find one
of them remaining ? Or doft thou hear fo much as a whifper concerning
them ?
C H A P .
a We will inherit what he fpeaketh of;] i. e.
He fhall be obliged to leave all his wealth and
his children behind him at his death.
b Hereafter Jhall they deny their worjhip, &c.]
viz. At the refurre&ion; when the idolaters
fhall difclaim their idols; and the idols their wor-
fhippers, and fhall mutually accufe on« ano-
it§nf i'
c Adverfaries j] Or, the contrary; that is to
fay, a difgrace inltead of an honour.
d They Jhall obtain no interceffion, except he only
who hath received a covenant from the Merciful j]
That is, except he who fhall be a fubjeft properly
difpofed to receive that favour, by having
profeffed 1ftam. Or, the words may alfo be
1 Set chap. 6. p. 101. chap. 10. p. 169, £3V.
tranflated', according to another expofition,
They Jhall not obtain the interceffion of any, except
tne interceffion of him, &c. Or elfe, None
Jhall be able to make interceffion for others, except
he who fhall have received a covenant (or permif-
fion) from G od ; i . e. who fhall be qualified
for that office by faith, and good works, according
to G o d ’s promife, or lhall have fpecial
leave given him by G o d for that purpofe a.
c Love;] viz. The lo v e of G o d and all the
inhabitants of heaven. Some fuppofe this verfe
was revealed to comfort the Moftems who were
hated and defpifed at Mecca, on account of their
faith, by the promife of their gaining the love
and efteem of mankind in a fhort time.
a A l Beidawi, See chap. 2. p. 30, &c.