camels flain fo r fucrifice have we appointed for you as fymbols o f your
obedience unto G od : ye alfo receive other advantages from them. Wherefore
commemorate the name of G od over them, when yc flay them, ftand-
ing on their feet difpofed in right order*: and when they are fallen down
dead, eat of them ; and give to eat thereof hath unto him who is content with
what is given him, without asking, and unto him who afketh b. Thus have
we given you dominion over them, that ye might return us thanks. Their
fleih is not accepted of G o d , neither their blood ; but your piety is accepted
of him. Thus have we given you dominion over them, that ye might
magnify G o d , for the revelations whereby he hath directed you. And
bear good tidings unto the righteous, that G od will repel the ill defigns
o f the infidels from the true believers; for G od loveth not every perfidious
unbeliever. Permiffion is granted unto thofe who take arms a-
gainft the unbelievers, for that they have been unjuftly perfecuted by them:
(and G od is certainly able to affift them:,), who have been turned out of
their habitations injurioufly, and fo r no other reafon than becaufe they fay,
Our L ord is G o d *. And if G od did not repel the violence o f fome men
by others, verily monafteries, and churches, and fynagogues, arid the temples
o f the Moflems, wherein the name of G od is frequently commemorated, would
be utterly demoli(hedd. And G od will certainly affift him who fhafl be on
his fide : for G od is ftrong and mighty. And he will affift thofe who, if we
eftabliffi them in the earth, will obferve prayer, and give alms, and command
that which is juft, and forbid that which is unjuft. And unto God
Jhall be the end of all things. If they accufe thee, O M ohammed, of im-
pofture ; confider that, before them, the people of N o a h , and the tribes of
A d and T h am u d , and the people of A b r a h a m , and the people of Lot,
and the inhabitants of M a d i a n , accufed their prophets of impofture: and
M oses was alfo charged with falfehood. And I granted a long refpite unto
the unbelievers: bpt afterwards I chaftifed them; and how different was the
change I made in their condition! How many cities have we deftroyed, which
were ungodly, and which are now fallen to ruin on their roofs ? And how
I many
a Standing on tbeir feet difpofed in right order»]
That is, as fome expound the word, {landing on
three feet, having one of their fore feet tied up,
which is the manner of tying camels to prevent
their moving from the place. Some copies in-
ftead of fawftjfa read fawajfena, from the verb
fafana, which properly fignifies the pofture of
a horfe, when he hands on three feet, the edge
of the fourth only touching the ground.
b Unto him who is content without asking, and
unto him who asketh j] Or, as, the; words may alfo
be rendred, Unto him who asketh in a modeft and
bumble manner, and unto him whox wanteth but
dareth not ask.
c PermiJJion is granted unto thofe who take
armtt &V-] This was the firft paflage of the
Koran which allowed Mohammed and his followers
to defend themfelves againft their enemies
by force, and was revealed a, little before the
flight to Medina; till- wshich time the prophet
had exhorted his Mojlems. to fuffer the injuries
offered them with patience, which is alfo commanded
in above feventy different places of the
Koran1.
d I f G od did not repel the violence of fome men
by others, verily monafteries, and churches,
would be demolifhedi\ That is, The public exercife
of any religion, whether true or falfe, is fupport-
ed only by force; and therefore, as Mohammed
would argue, the. true religion muff be eftablilh-
ed by the fame means.
1 A l Be id a w 1, &c. V. the Prelim. Difc. §. II. p. 48, Isc.
many wells have been abandoned*, and lofty caftles ?. Do they not therefore
journey through the land ? And have they not hearts to underftand with»
or ears to hear with ? Surely as to thefe things their eyes are not blind, but
the hearts are blind which are in their breafts. They will urge thee to
haften the threatened puniihment; but G od will not fail to perform what he
hath threatened : and verily one day with thy L o r d is as a thoufand years, of
thofe which ye compute \ Unto how many cities have I granted refpite,
though they were wicked? Yet afterwards I chaftifed them : and unto me
fhall°they come to be judged, at the laft day. Say, Omen, verily lam only a
public preacher unto you. And they who believe, and do good works,
(hall obtain forgivenefs and an honourable provifion. But thofe who endeavour
to make our figns of none effeft, fta ll be the inhabitants of hell. We
have fent no apoftle, or prophet, before thee, but, when he read, S a t a n
fuggefted fome error in his reading*. But G od fhall make void that which
S a t a n hath fuggefted: then lhall G od confirm his figns; for G od L knowing
and wife. But this he permitteth, that he may make that which S a t a n
bath fuggefted, a temptation unto thofe in whofe hearts there is an infirmity,
and whofe hearts are hardened : (for the ungodly are certainly in a widel difa-
greement from the truth :) and that they on whom knowledge hath been bellowed,
may know that this book is the truth from thy L o r d , and may believe
therein ; and that their hearts may -acquiefce in the fame: for G od is
furely the diredtor of thofe who believe,, into the right way.* But the infidels
will not ceafe to doubt concerning it, until the hour o f judgment
cometh fuddenly upon them ; or until the puniihment of a grievous day 4
overtake
* Hozo ■ many wells. have been abandoned, £3V.]
That is, How many fpots in the defarts, which
were formerly inhabited, are now abandoned ?
aneglefted well being the proper fign of fuch
a deferted. dwelling in thofe parts, as ruins are
of a demolifhed town.
Some imagine that this paflage intends more
particularly a well at the foot of a certain hill
in the province of “Hadramaut, and a caftle built
on the top of the fame hill, both belonging to
the people of Handha Ebn Safzpan, a remnant of
the Ihamudites, who having hilled, their prophet,
were utterly deftroyed by G o d , and their
dwelling abandoned 1.
b See 2 Pet. iii. 8.
c We have fent no apoftle or prophet, but when
he read, Satan fuggefted Jome error in his reading,
&c.] The occafion of the paflage is thus related.
Mohammed one day reading the 53d chapter of
the Koran, when he came to this verfe, What
think ye of Allat, and al Uzza, and of Manah
the other third goddefs ? the devil put the folio w-
lng words into his mouth, which he pronounced
thro’ inadvertence, or, as fome tell .us, becaufe
1 Iidem. 2 Y a h y a .
(hup. 16, p, 223. •
he was then half afleep 2, viz. Tbefe are the moft
high and beauteous damfels, whofe interceffton is to
be hoped for. The Koreifh, who were fitting near
Mohammed, greatly rejoiced at- what they had
heard, and when he had finilhed the chapter,
joined with him and his followers in making
their adoration : but the prophet, being acquainted
by the angel Gabriel with the reafon of their
compliance, and with what he had uttered, was
deeply concerned at his miftake, till this verfe
was revealed for his confolation 3. '
We are told however by Al Beidawi, that the
more intelligent and accurate perfons rejett the
aforefaid ftory; and the verb, here tranflated
read, lignifying alfo to wifh for any thing, interpret
the paflage of the fuggeftions of the devil
to debauch the affections of thofe holy perfons,
or to employ their minds in vain wiflies and
defires.
d A grievous day;] Or, a day which maketh
childlefs > by which fome great misfortune in war
is exprefled: as the overthrow th.e infidels received
at Bedr. Some fuppofe the refurrcdtion is
here intended.
3 Al B e i d a w i , J a l l a l o ’ d d i n , Y ahya; See