fom until the war fhall have laid down its arms *. This fh a ll ye do: Verily
if God pleafed, he could take vengeance on them-, without ' your affijl-
ance ; but he commandetb you to fig h t his battles, that he may prove the one'
o f you by the other. And as to thofe who fight b,in defence of G od’s true
religion, G od will not fuffer their works to periih': he will guide them
and will difpofe their heart aright ; and he will lead them into paradife, of
which he hath told them. O true believers, if ye aflift God, by fighting fo r
■ his religion, he will affift you agatnft your enemies ; and will fet your feet
fall:: but ds fo r the infidels,, let them periih ; and their works fhall G od render
vain. This Jhall befal them, becaufe they have rejefted with abhorrence
that which God hath revealed: wherefore their works fhall become of no
avail. Do they not travel through the earth, and fee what hath been the
end of thofe who were before them? G od utterly deftroyed them:- and the
like catajlraphe awaiteth the unbelievers. This Jhall come to -pafs, for that
G od is the patron of the true believers, and for that the infidels have no
proteftor. Verily God will introduce thofe who believe, and do good works
into gardens beneath which rivers flow: but the unbelievers indulge
themfelves in pleafures, and èat as beafts eat; and their abode Jhall be hell
fire. How many cities were more mighty in ftrength than thy city which hath
expelled thee; yet have we deftroyed them, and there was none to help them?
Shall he, therefore, who followeth the plain declaration of his L ord, be as he
whofe evil works have been drefied up for him by the d e v i l ; and who follow
their own lulls? The defcription of paradife, which is promifed unto,
the pious: therein' are rivers of incorruptible water y and rivers of milk, the
tafte whereof changeth not; and rivers of-wine,- pleafant unto thofe who
drink; and rivers of clarified honey : and therein fhall they have plenty of
all kinds o f fruits; and pardon from .their L ord. Shalt the man fo r whom
thefe things are prepared^, be as'he' who mull dwell for ever in M lfire , and
will have the boiling water given them to drink, which lhall burft their,
bowels? Of the unbelievers-there are fome who give ear unto-thee, until
when they go out from thee, they fay, by way o f derifion, unto thofe to
whom knowledge hath been given0, What hath he faid now ? Thefe a n
they whofe hearts God hath foaled up, and who follow their own lulls : but
OS
'When ye encounter the unbelievers, firike off but may either be fet at liberty gratis, or on
their headl.Sic^ This law the Hnnifites judge payment Of, a certain ranfom, or may'biex-
to. be abrogated, or to relate particularly to the changed for Mohammedan prifeners, or condemn-
war of Bedr ; for the feverity here commanded, ■ ed to flaveryy at the pleafureof the Imam or
which was neceffary in the beginuing of Mo- prince 2.
hummed jin', they think too rigorous to be put » Who fight, &c.]„ Some copies,' infleacl of
in praftice in its flburifhing Hate. But the Per- k itilii, read, hitiitf according to which latter
Jims, and fome others, hold the command to reading it Ihsiild be rendred-, who are (lain, or
be ftiU in full force: for, according to them, all fuffer martyrdom, Soc.
the men of full age, who are taken in battle, are £ Thofe to whom knowledge hath been given ;]
to be flain, unlefs they embrace the Mtbamme- i. e. The more learned of Mohamrned's companie
s faith ; and thofe who fall into the hands of ons i fuch as Ebn Majid, and Ebn. Abbas 3.
the Mofiems after the battle, are not to be ilain,
1 1 S t‘ M 8. A 1 4 1, and 147. ». A l B e id aw i . V . R el an d . D iffe r t. de J u r e m ilita ri Moham*
medanor. p . 32. 3 J a l l a l .
as to thofe who are diredled, G od will grant them a more ample direction,
and he will inftruft them what to avoid*. Do the infidels wait for any other
than the lajl hour, that it may come upon them fuddenly ? Some figns thereof
are already come b: and when it lhall aflually overtake them, how can
they then receive admonition? Know, therefore, that there is no god-but
God : and alk pardon for thy fin1, and for the true believers both men and
women. G od knoweth your bufy employment in the world, and the place of
your abode hereafter. The true believers fay, Hath not a Sura been revealed
- commanding war againfi the infidels ? But when a Sura without any
ambiguity , is revealed, and war is mentioned therein, thou mayell fee thofe
in whofe hearts is an infirmity i, look towards thee with the look of one
whom death óverftiadoweth. But obedience would be more eligible for them,
and to fpe'ak that which is convenient. And when the command is firmly
eftablilhed, if they give credit unto God, it will be better for them. Were
ye ready therefore, if ye had been put in authority % to commit outrages in
the earth, and to violate your ties of blood ? Thefe are they whom G od
hath curfed, and hath rendred deaf, and whofe eyes he hath blinded. Do
they not therefore attentively meditate on the K oran ? Are there locks
upon their hearts? Verily they who turn their backs, after she true direction
is made manifeft unto them; Satan lhall prepare their wickednefs for
them, and God lhall bear with them for a time. This Jhall befal them, becaufe
they fay privately unto thofe who deteft what God hath revealed, We
will obey you in part of the matter t But God knoweth their fecrets. How
therefore w ill it be with them, when the angels lhall caufe them- to die,
and lhall ftrike their faces, and their backs® ? This Jhall they fu f fe r , becaufe
they follow that which provoketh God to wrath, and are averfe to
what is well pleafing unto him : and he will render their works vain. Do
they in whofe hearts is an infirmity, imagine that G od will not brino-
their malice to light ? If we pleafed, we could furely Ihew them unto thee,
and thou Ihouldeft know them by their marks 5 but thou lhalt certainly know
them by the ir perverfe pronunciation of their words. G od knoweth your adlions :
and we will try you, until we know thofe among you who fight valiant-
G g g * ly,
a And he w ill ‘infiruft them what to avoid;] Or,
as the words may alfo be tranflated, and he w ill
reward them far their piety.
b Some figns thereof are already come;] As the
million/of* Mohammedt the fpiitting of the moon,
and the {moke 1 mentioned in the 44th chapter.
c Ask pardon for thy fin ;] Tho’ Mohammed
here and elfewhere * acknowledges himfelf to
be a finner, yet feveral Mohammedan doctors
pretend he was wholly free from fin,'" and fup-
pofe he is here commanded to ask forgivenefs,
not that he wanted it, but that he might fet an
example to his followers : wherefore he ufed to
fay of himfelf, if the tradition be true, I ask
pardon of Go d a hundred times a day 5.
d An infirmity jJ As hypocrily, cowardice, or
inftability in their religion.
e I f ye had been put in authority;] Or, as the
words may alfo be tranflated, I f ye had turned
back, and apoftatized from your faith.
f We w ill obey you inpart of the matter;] i. e.
In part of what ye deure of us j by Haying at
home and not going forth with Mohammed t®
war, and by private combination again.ll him 4.
E When the angels Jhall caufe them to die, &c.j
Thefe words are fuppofed to allude to the examination
of the fepulchre.
l :Idem, ^ /B eid aw i. * See chap.48. in the beginning... ? J allai-o-ddin, 4 ^ /B e id aw i.