412 Æ K O R A N . C hap. 4g-.
ly, and who perfevere with conftancy ; and we will try the reports of your
behaviour« Verily thofe who believe not, and turn away to» from the way
of G od, and makeoppolition againft the apoftle*, after the divine direftion hack
been manifefted unto them, fhall not hurt G od at all ; but he lhall make their
works to perith. O true believers, obey G od s and obey the apoftle': and
render not your works of-no effeéll Verily thofe who believe not, and who
turn away men from the way of G od, and then die, being unbelievers, God
will by no means forgive.- Faint not therefore, neither invite your enemies
to peace, while ye are the fuperior : for G od is with you, and will not defraud
you of the merit of your works. Vêrily this prefent life is only a play and a
vain amufement: but if ye believe, and fèar G od, he will give you your
rewards. He doth not require of you your whole fubftance : if he Ihould
require the whole of you, and earneftly prefs you, ye would become niggardly,
and it would raile your hatred againft his apoftle. Behold, ye are thofe who
are invited to expend part of your fubftance for the fupport of G od ’s true
religion ; and there are fome of you who are niggardly. But whoever lhall
be. niggardly, lhall be niggardly towards his own-foul : for G od-wanteth
nothing, but ye are needy: and if- ye turn baqk, he will fubftitute another
people in your Head, who lhall not be like unto youb.
* Who malt oppofitim againft the apoftle j] Thefe the place of thefe lukewarm Moflems, are gene-
were the tribes of Koreidha and al Nadir ; or rally fuppofed to be the Perftans ; there being a
thofe who diftributed provifion to the army of tradition that Mobammedy being asked what peo-
the Koretjh at Bedr 1. pie they were, at a time when Salman was
. b He- w ill fubjlitute another people in your Jieady fitting by him, clapped his hand on his thigh*
who Jball not be like unto you\\ i. ev In back- and-faid, This man and bis nation., ©thers,
wardnefs and averfion to the propagation of the however, are -of opinion the Anfars, or the an-
faith. The people here defigned to be put in gels are intended inthis place 2.
1 A l B eidawi . See chap. 8. p. 143. not. h. * Idem.
C H A P. XLVIII.
Ihtitledj The Vi&ory ; revealed at Medina.
In the name of the moft merciful-Go p.
VErily we have, granted thee a manifeft viétory5“: that God may forgive
thee
* We have granted thee a manifeft viSlory.] This There are fome,notwithftanding, who fuppofè
vi&ory, from which the chapter takes its title, the advantage here intended was the. pacification
according to the moft received interpretation, was of al Hodeibiya, which is here called a viftory,
the taking of the city of Mecca. The paflage is becaufe the Meccans fued for peace, and made a
laid to have been revealed on Mohammed's return truce there with Mobammedy their breaking of
from the expedition of al Hodeibiya, and contains which occafioned the taking of Mecca. Others
a promife or prediction of this lignai fuccefs, think the conqiieft of Khaibart or the victory o-
which happened not till two years after} the ver the Greeks at Muta, See. to be meant in this
preterit tenfe being therein ufed, according to place,
the,prophetic ftyle, for the future -1 .
1 A IZ AMAKH, ^/Beidawi, & c.
C hap. 48. A l K O R A N 413
thee* thy preceding and thy fubfequent finb, and may compleat his favour
on thee, and diredt thee in the right way •, and that G od may afiift thee
with a glorious affiftance. ' It is he who fendeth down fecure tranquillity
into the hearts of the true believers, that they may encreafe in faith, beyond
their former faith : (the hoffis of heayen and earth are G od’s ; and G od is
knowing and wife':)' that he may lead the true believers of both fexes into
gardens beneath which rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever ; and may
expiate their evil, deeds from them: (this will be great felicity with G od :)
and that he may punilh the hypocritical men, and the hypocritical women,
and the idolaters, and the idolatreffes, who conceive an ill opinion of G od. They
lhall experience a turn of evil fortune •, and G od. ’lhall be angry with them,
and lhall curfe them, and hath prepared hell for them ; an ill journey lhall
it be th ith e r ! Unto G od belong the holts of heaven and earth; and G od
is mighty and wife. Verily we have fent thee to be a witnefs, and a bearer
of good tidings, and a denouncer of threats ; that ye may believe in G od,
and his apoftle ; and may afiift him, and revere him, and praife him morning
-and evening. Verily they who fwear fealty' unto thee, fwear fealty unto
G o d : the hand of G od is over their handsd. Whoever lhall violate his'
oath, will violate the fame to the hurt only of his own foul: but whoever
lhall perform that which he hath covenanted with G od, he will furely give
him a great reward. The A rabs of the defart who were left behind' will
fay unto thee, Our fubftance and our families employed us, fo that we went
not fo r th with thee to war ; wherefore ask pardon for us. They fpeak thar
with their tongues, which is not in their hearts. Anfwer, Who lhall be able
to obtain for you any thing from G od to the contrary,. if he is pleafed to afflict
you, or is pleafed to be gracious unto you? Yea verily, G od is well
acquainted with that which ye do. Truely ye imagined that the apoftle
and the true believers would never return to their families; and- this was
prepared in your heartsr but ye imagined an evil imagination; and ye are
a
* Wm-Gov m a y forgivetbeeiy Thztis to-fay, by fwearing fidelity and'obedience to him.
That G od may give thee an opportunity of de- d The hand of G od is over tbeir hands;] That is,
ferving forgivenefs by eradicating of idolatry, He.beholdeth from above, and is witnefs to the
and exalting his true religion, and the deliver- folemnity. of your giving your faith to his apoftle;
ingof the weak from the hands of the ungod- and will reward you for it 4. The expreflion
ly> &c. alludes to the manner of their plighting their
b Thy preceding and thy fubfequent fn ',\\. e. faith on thefe occafiorrs.
Whatever thou haft done worthy reprehenfion;- e The Arabs of the-defart who were left behind;]
or, thy fins-committed as well in the time of Thefe were the tribes of AJlam, Joheinahy Mo-
ignorance, as fince. Some expound the words zeinaby and Ghifary who being fummoned to
more particularly, and fay the preceding or for- attend Mohammed in the expedition of al Hodei-
mer fault, was his lying with his handmaid Ma- biya, ttaid behind, and excufed themfelves by
ry l , contrary to his oath; and the lattert his faying their families muft fuffer in their abfence,
marrying of Zeinab the wife of Zeid his and would be robbed of the little they had, (for
adopted fon 3. thefe tribes were of the poorer Arabs;)^whereas
c Swear fealty ;] The original word fignifies in*reality they wanted firmnefsin the faith, and
publickly to acknowledge or inaugurate a prince, courage to face the Koreijh 1.
1 See chap. 66. and the notes thereon. a See chap. 33; and the notes thereon. 3 A l Z a makh .
•*" J'al-la l. 5 Idem, A l Beidawi^ .