434 A I K O R A N . C h a p . 56.
CHAP . LYI.
Intitled, The Inevitable; revealed at Mecca.
In the name of the moft merciful God.
WHEN the inevitable a day o f judgment Ihall fuddenly comey no fo u l
(hall charge the pr ed itio n o f its coming with falfliood: it will abafe
fome, and exalt others. When the earth fhall be fhaken with a violent
mock 5 and the mountains Ihall be dallied In pieces, and fhall become as
dull fcattered abroad; and ye Ihall be fepardted into three d ifiiyft claffes :
the companions of the right hand; (how happy J h d l the companions of
the right hand h e ! ) and the companions of the left handb ; (how mis
e r a b le 'f la i l the companions of the left hand b e ! ) and thofe who
have preceded others in the fa ith , fhall precede them to paradife Thefe
are they who fhall approach n ew unto G o d : they Jhall dwell in gardens of
delight r ( There fh a ll be many of the former religions v and few of the laftd.)
Reefing on couches adorned with gold and precious ftones ; fitting oppofite
to one Another thereon *.. Youths which fhall continue in their bloom for
ever, fhall go round about to attend them, with goblets, and beakers, and
a cup of Slowing wine ; their heads fhall not ach by drinking the fame,
neither fhall their reafon be difturbed: and with fruits of the which
they fhall choofe, and the flefh of birds of the kind which they fhall defire.
And there fh a ll accompany them fair damfels having large black eyes;
refembling pearls hidden in their J h e lls : as a reward for . that which they
fhall have wrought- They fhall not hear therein any vain difcourfe*
. --Or
* Th (Inevitable The original- word, the
force whereof cannot well be expreffed by a
fingle one, in Englifl., dignifies . a calamitous
accident Which falls furely:y- and .with fudden
violence; and is therefore made ufe. of here to
defign the day of judgment. ■ ''-'i. ■
b The companions of the right band.» and of the
left hand ;] That is, the blefted, and the damned;.
.who may be thus, diftinguiihed here, he-
cavife- the books whei'eiir their actions are re-
giftred, will be delivered into the right hands
of the former, and into the left hands of the latter
1 : tho’ the words tranflated right hand, and
left hand, do alfo iignify happinefs, and mifery.
c And thofe who have preceded others in the
faith, Jball precede them to paradife Either the
* J U B e i d a w i , J a l l a l o ’d d in .
firft converts- to Mohamrnedifm, -or the prophets,
who were the refpeCiive leaders of their people-,
or any perfons .who have been-eminen t examples
of piety and vertue, may behere interndetb The
original- words literally rendred are,, The leaders,
the leaders : which répétition, as fome fuppole,
was deligned to exprefs the dignity of thefe
perfons, and the certainty of their future glory
and happinefs z.
d I here fhall be many c f the former religions,
and few of the. laflyj i. e. There Ihall be more
leaders, who have preceded others in faith and
good works, among the followers of the feveral
prophets from Adam down to Mohammed, than
of the followers of Mohammed himfelf 3,
e See chap. 25. p. 212. not. e.
% lidem 3 lidem.-
or any charge of fin ; but only the falutation, Peace! Peace! And the
companions of the right hand ( how happy jhall the companions of the
right hand be /) Jhall have their abode among lote trees free from thorns, and
trees of mauz a loaded regularly, with- their produce from top to. bottom;
under an extended fhade, near a flowing waterb, and amidjl fruits'in abundance,
which fhall not fail, mor Ihall be forbidden to be gathered: and they
Jfjall repoje themfelves on lofty beds'. Verily we have- created the damfels
of paradife by a peculiar creationd: and we have made them virgins', beloved
by their hufbands, of equal age with them-, for the delight of the
companions of the right hand. * SChere Jhall be many of the formed religions.,
and many of the latterf. And the companions of the left hand ( how
miferable JhaU the. companions of the left hand he !) Jball dwell amidft burning
winds 3, and fcalding water, under the fhade of a black fmoke, neither
cool nor agreeable. For they enjoyed the pleafures of life before this,
while on earth -, and obftinately perfifted in a hainous wickednefs: and they
faid, After we fhall have died, and become dufi: and bones, fhall we furely
be raifed to life ? Shall our forefathers alfo be raifed with us ? Say, Verily
both the firft-and the laft fhall furely be gathered together to judgment,
at the prefixed time of .a known day. Then ye, Omen, who have
erred, and denied the refurre£lion.as a falfliood, fhall furely eat of the fruit
of the tree of al Z akkum, and fhall fill your bellies therewith : and ye
ihall drink thereon boiling water ; and ye fhall drink as a thirfty camel
K k k a drink-
' Trees of masses ;] The original word Talh
is the name, not only o f the mauz T,h o t alfo
o f a :very tall and thorny tree, which hears a-
bundance of flowers of an agreeable fmell 2,
and ieems to be the Acacia.
b Near _ a flowing water ;] Which ihall be
conveyed in channels to fuch places, and in
fuch manner as every one lhali deiire. 3 A l
Beiaawi- obferves that the condition of the few
who have preceded others in faith and good
works, is reprefented by whatever may render
a city life agreeable ; and that the condition of
the companions of the right hand, or, the generality
of the blefled, is reprefented by thofe
things which make the principal pleafure of a
country life ; and that this is done to ihew
the difference of the two conditions.
_c Lofty beds;] The word tranflated beds, iig-
nifies alfo, by way of metaphor, wives or concubines
; and if the latter fenfe be preferred,
the paflage may be rendred thus, And they Jhall
enjoy damfels raifed on lofty couches, whom we
have created, &c.
* We have created the damfels of paradife by a
peculiar creation7] Having created them purpofely
of finer materials than the females o f this
world, and fubjeCt to none of thofe inconveniences
which are natural to the fex 4. Some
underftand this paflage of the beatified women;
who, tho’ they die old and ugly, ihall yet be
reftored to their youth and beauty in paradife5.
e Virgins;] For how often foever their husbands
ihall go in unto them, they ihall always
find them virgins.
f There Jhall be many of the former religions;
and many of the latter;] Father Marracci thinks
this to be a manifeft contradiction to.what is
faid above, There fla il be many of the former and
few of the latter: but AlBeidawi obviates fuch
an objedtion, by obferving that the preceding
paflage ipeaks of'the leaders only, and thofe
who have preceded others in faith and good
works, and the paflage, before us fpeaks of the
righteous of inferior merit and degree ; fo that
tho’ there be many of both forts, yet there may
be few of one fort, comparatively ipeaking, in
refpeCt to the other.
. s Burning winds;] Which Ihall penetrate into
the paiTages of their bodies.
3 ^ / B e i d a w i . * S-ee the