rated: and they who fhall have believed, and wrought righteoufnefs, fhall take
their pleafure in a delightful meadow ; but as for thofe who fhall have difbe-
lieved, and rejetted our figns, and the meeting of the next life, they fhall
be delivered up to punifhment. Wherefore glorify G od, when the evening
overtaketh you, and when ye rife in the morning : and unto him be praife in
heaven and earth •, and at fun-fet, and when ye reft at noon \ He bringeth
forth the living out of the dead, and he bringeth forth the dead out of the
livingb ; and he quickeneth the earth after it hath been dead : and in like
manner fhall ye be brought forth from your graves. Of his figns one is, that
he hath created you of duft ; and behold, ye are become men, fpread over
the face of the earth. And of his figns another is, that he hath created for you
out of your felves, wives, that ye may cohabit with them; and hath put
love and compaffion between you : verily herein are figns unto people who
confider. And of his figns are alfo the creationof the heavens and the earth,
and the variety of your languages, and of your complexionsc: verily herein
are figns unto men of underftanding. And of his figns are your fleeping by
night and by day, and your feeking to provide for yourfelves of his abundance:
verily herein are figns unto people who hearken. Of his figns others are, that
he fhewethyou the lightening, to ftrike terror, and to give hope of rain, and
that he fendeth down water from heaven, .and quickeneth thereby the earth,
after it hath been dead: verily herein are figns unto people who underftand.
And of his figns this alfo is one, namely, that the heaven and the earth ftand
firm at his command: hereafter, when he fhall call you out of the earth at
one fummons, behold, ye fhall come forth. Unto him are fubjell whofo-
ever are in the heavens and on earth: all are obedient unto him. It is he
who originally produceth a creature, and afterwards reftoreth the fame to
life : and this is moft eafy with him. He juftly challengeth the moft exalted
comparifon, in heaven and earthd; and he is the mighty, the wife. He pro-
poundeth unto you a comparifon taken from yourfelves. Have ye, among
the Jlaves whom your right hands pofiefs, any partner in the fubftance which
we have beftowed on you, fo that ye become equal Jharers therein^ with
them, or that ye fear them as ye fear one another' ? Thus do we diftinftly
explain our figns, unto people who underftand. But thofe who att unjuftly
by attributing companions unto G o d , follow their own lufts, without knowledge:
and who fhall dirett him whom G od fhall caufe to err ? They fhall have
none to help them. Wherefore be thou orthodox, and fet thy face towards
a Glorify God in the evening, &c.] Some are
of opinion that the five times of prayer are in-
tended in this paflage; the evening including the
time both of the prayer of fun-fet, and of the
evening prayer properly fo called, and the word
I have rendered at fun-fet, marking the hour of
afternoon prayer, fince it may be applied alfo to
the time a little before fun-fet.
b See chap. 3. p. 38.
c The variety of your languages and complexions i]
Which are certainly moft wonderful, and, as f
conceive, very hard to be accounted for, if we
allow the feveral nations in the world to be all
the offspring of one man, as we are affured by
fcripture they are, without having recourfe to
the immediate omnipotency of G od.
d He juftly challengeth the moft exalted compari-
fon, &c.J That is, In Ipeaking of him we ought
to make ufe of the moft noble and magnificent
expreflions we can poflibly devife.
* See chap. 16. p. 220. -
the true religion, the inftitution of G o d , to which he hath created mankind
difpofed: there is no change in what G o d hath created*. This is the right
religion ; but the greater part of men know it not. And be ye turned unto
him, and fear him, and be conftant at prayer, and be not idolaters. Of
thofe who have made a fchifm in their religion, and are divided into various
lefts; every feft rejoice in their own opinion. When adverfity befalleth men,
they call upon their L o r d , turning unto him: afterwards, when he hath
caufed them to tafte of his mercy, behold, a part of them afiociate other deities.
with their L o r d ; to fhew themfelves ungrateful for the favours which we
have beftowed on them. Enjoy therefore the vain pleafures of this life ; but
hereafter fhall ye know the confequence. Have we fent down unto them any
authority, which fpeaketh of the falfe gods which they afiociate with him b ?
When we caufe men, to tafte mercy, they ,rejoice therein ; but if evil befalleth
them, for that which their hands have 'before committed, behold, they
defpair'. Do they not fee that G od beftoweth provifion abundantly on whom
he pleafeth, and is fparing unto whom he pleafeth ? Verily herein are figns
unto people who believe. Give unto him who is of kin to thee his reafonable
due ; and alfo to the poor, and the ftranger: this is better for thofe
who feek the face of G od ; and they fhall profper. Whatever ye fhall give
in ufury 4, to be an increafe of men’s fubftance, fhall not be increafed by the
blejjing of G od : but whatever ye fhall give in alms, for G od’ s fake, they
fhall receive a, twofold reward. It. is G od who hath created you, and hath
provided food for you : hereafter will he caufe you to die ; and after that will
he rai(e you. again to life. Is there any of your falfe gods, who is able to do
the leaft of thefe things ? Praife be unto Him ; and far be he removed front
what -they afiociate with him! Corruption.'hath appeared by land and by
fea, for the■ eraser which men’s hands have: committed ; that it. might make
them to tafte f a part of the fruits of that which they have wrought, that
peradventure they might turn from their evil ways. Say, - Go. through the
earth, and fee what hath been the end of thofe who have been before you:
the greater part of them were idolaters. Set thy face therefore towards the
right religion, before,the day cometh, which none can put back from G od.
On that day fhall they be feparated into two companies: whoever fhall have
been an unbeliever, on him fhall his unbelief be charged ; and whoever lhall
have
I The inftitution o f God, to which he hath
created mankind difpofed, &c.] i. e. The immutable
law, or rule, to which man is naturally
difpofed to conform, and which every one would
embrace, as moft fit for a rational creature, if it
were not for the prejudices of education. The
Mohammedans have a tradition that their prophet
liféd to fay, That every perfon is born naturally
difpojed to become a Moflem ; but that a man's parents
make him a jew , a Chriftian, or a Magian.
b Have we fent down unto them any authority,
fpeaking of the falfe gods, &c.] That is, Have
we either by the mouth of any prophet, or by
any written revelation, commanded or incouraged
the worlhip of more gods than one ?
c They defpair ;] And feek not to regain the
favour of G od by timely repentance.
d In ufury j] Or by way of bribe. The word
may include any fort of extortion or illicit
gain.
f Corruption y iz. Mifchief and public calamities;
fuch- as famine, peftilence, droughts,
Ihipwracks, ksft. Or erroneous doctrines, or a
general depravity of manners.
f That it might make them to tafte, &c.] Some
copies read, in the firft perfon plural, That m
might caufelhem to tafte, &c.