have wrought, and may render them their reward according to the utmoft
merit of the good which they have wrought. Is not G od a fufficient proteHor
of his fervant? yet they will attempt to make thee afraid of the falfe deities
which they worfhip befides G od *. But he whom G od ffiall caufe to err,
fhall have none to direft him: and he whom G od fhall diredt, fhall have none
to miflead him. ' Is not G od moft mighty, able to avenge ? If thou a(k
them who hath created the heavens and the earth, they, will furely anfwer,
G od. Say, Do ye think therefore that the deities which ye invoke befides
G o d , if G od be pleafed to afflidt me, are able to relieve me from his afflidtion ?
or if he be pleafed to Ihew mercy unto me, that they are able to with-hold his
mercy ? Say, G od is my fufficient fupport : in him let thofe put their truft,
who feek in whom to confide. Say, O my people, do ye adl according to your
ftate verily I will adt according to mine: hereafter fhall ye know on which of
us will be infiidted a puniffiment that lhall cover him with ffiame, and on whom
a lading puniffiment ffiall fall. Verily we have revealed unto thee the book
of the Koran, for the injlruflion of mankind, with truth. Whofo ffiall be
diredted thereby, fhall be directed to the advantage of his own foul ; and whofo
ffiall err, ffiall only err againft the fame : and thou art not a guardian over
them. G od taketh unto himfelf the fouls of men at the time of their death;
and thofe which die not be alfo taketh in their fleepb: and he with-holdeth thofe
on which he hath pafied the decree of death', but fendeth back the others till
a determined period1*. Verily herein are figns unto people who confider.
Have the K oreish taken idols for their interceffors with God? Say, What,
although they have not dominion over any thing, neither do they underftand?
Say, Interceffion is altogether in the difpofal of G od e: his is the kingdom
of heaven and earth ; and hereafter ffiall ye return unto him. When the one
foie G od is mentioned, the hearts of thofe who believe not in the life to come,
ffirink with horror : but when the falfe gods, which are worfhipped befides him,
are mentioned, behold, they are filled, with joy. Say, O God, the creator
of heaven and earth, who knoweft that which is fecret, and that which is ma-
nifeft; thou ffialt judge between thy fervants concerning that wherein they difagree.
* They mill attempt to make thee afraid of tbeir
falfe deities s] The Koreijb ufed to tell Mohammed
that they feared their gods would do him fome
mifchief, and deprive him of the ufe of his
limbs, or of his reafon, becaufe he fpoke dif-
gracefully of them. It is thought by fome that
this paifage was verified in Khdled Ebn altValid;
who being lent by Mohammed to demolilh the
idol alUzza, was advifed by the keeper of her
temple to take heed what he did, becaufe the
goddefs was able to avenge herfelf feverely: but
he was fo little moved at the man’s warning,
that he immediately ftept .up to the idol, and
broke her nofe. To fupport the latter explication,
they fay, that what happened to Khdled i3
attributed to Mohammed, becaufe the former was
then executing the prophet’s orders l . A cir-
cumilance not much different from the above-
mentioned, is told of the demolition of Allot z.
b And the fouls which die not, he taketh in
their Jleep;] That is, feemingly, and to outward
appearance; fleep being the image of death.
c He with-holdeth thofe on which he hath pajfed
the decree of death;] Not permitting them to
return again into their bodies.
d But fendeth back the others j] viz. Into their
bodies, when they awake 3.
8 Intercejfion is altogether in the difpofal of
G od :] For none can or dare prefume to intercede
with him, unlefs by his permiflion.
agree. If thofe who adt unjuftly were mafters of whatever is in the earth, and
as much more therewith, verily they would give it to ranfom themfelves from
the evil of the puniffiment, on the .day of refurredtion : and there ffiall appear
unto them, from G od, terrors which they never imagined; and there ffiall
appear unto them the evils of that which they ffiall have gained ; and that
which they mocked at ffiall encompafs them. When harm befalleth man,
he calleth upon us; yet afterwards, when we have bellowed on him favour'
from us, he faith, I have received it merely becaufe of God’s knowledge
of my deferts *. On the contrary, it is a trial; but the greater part of
them know if not. Thofe who were before them, faid the fameb: but that-
which they had gained, profited them not; and the evils which they had de-
ferved, fell upon them. And whoever of thefe M eccans ffiall have adted
unjuftly, on them likewife ffiall fall the evils which they ffiall have deferved S ;
neither ffiall they fruftrate the divine vengeance. Do they not know that G od
beftoweth provifion abundantly on whom he pleafeth, and is fparing unto whom
hepleafeth ? Verily herein are figns unto people who believe. Say, O my fervants
who have tranfgreffed againft your own fouls, defpair not of the mercy
of G od : feeing that G od forgiveth all finsd; for he is gracious and merciful.
And be turned unto your L o r d , and refign yourfelves unto him, before the
threatened puniffiment overtake you s fo r then ye ffiall not be helped. And
follow the moft excellent inftrublions which have been fent down unto you from
your L o r d , before the puniffiment come fuddenly upon you, and ye perceive
not the approach thereof-, and a foul fay, Alas ! for that I have been negligent
in my duty to G od s verily I have been one of the fcorners: or fay, If Gob
had diredted me, verily I had been one of the pious: or fay, when it feeth
the prepared puniffiment, If I could return once more' into the world, I would
become one of the righteous. But God Jhall anfwer, My figns came unto
thee heretofore, and thou didft charge them with falffiood, and waft: puffed
up with pride -, and thou becameft one of the unbelievers. On the day of
refurredlion thou ffialt fee the faces of thofe who have uttered lies concerning
G o d , become black : is there not an abode prepared in hell for the arrogant
? But G od ffiall deliver thofe who ffiall fear him, and fh all fet them in their
place of fafety: evil ffiall not touch them, neither ffiall they be grieved.
G od is the creator of all things, and he is the governour of all things. His are
the keys of heaven and earth : and they who believe not in the figns of G o d ,
they ffiall periffi. Say, Do ye therefore bid me to worffiip other than G o d ,
O ye fools ? fince it hath been fpoken by revelation unto thee, and alfo unto
the prophets who have been before thee, faying, Verily if thou join any partners
with God, thy work will be altogether unprofitable, and thou ffialt certainly
a Becaufe of Goss's knowledge of my deferts;] were punilhed with a fore famine for feven
Or by means of my own wifdom. years, and had the braveft of their warriors cut
b Thofe who were before them, faid the fame;] off at the battle of. Bedr x.
As did Karun in particular 1. d God forgiveth all fuss] To thofe who finc
O n them Jhall fa ll the evils they have de- cerely repent, and profefs his unity : for the fins
fervid',] As it happened accordingly; for they of idolaters will notbe forgiven 3..
‘ See chap. 28. p. 323. *• A l B e i d a w i . 3 See p. 11, not. c;