if ye knew it. He will forgive you your fins, and will introduce you into
gardens through which rivers flow, and agreeable habitations in gardens of
perpetual abode. This will be great felicity. And ye Jhall obtain other
things which ye defire, namely, afiiftance from God, and a fpeedy vitory.
And do thou bear good tidings to the true believers.- Qrrue believers, be ye
the affiftants of God ; as J esus the fon of Mary faid to the apoftles, Who
will be my affiftants with refpeft to God“? The apoftles anfwered, We will be the
affiftants of God. So a part of the children of- Israel, believed, and a part
believed' not V but we {lengthened thofe who believed, above their enemy;
wherefore they became victorious over them.
a See chap. 3. p. 42. ing him, or by affirming him to be Gobi arf
b a fart- believed not;] Either by rejeft- the fo'n of God •.
t Jallalo’ddin.
C H A P. LXII.
In ti tied) The A ffembly ; revealed at M e d i n a .
In the name of the moft merciful G od.
WHatever is in heaven and earth praifeth G od ; the King; the Holy,
the Mighty, the Wife. It is he who hath raifed up amidft the illiterate
A r a b ia n s an apoftle from among themfelves*, to rehearfe his figns unto
them, and to purify them, and to teach them the feriptures and wifddffl 5
whereas before they were certainly in a manifeft error: and others of them
have not yet attained unto them, by embracing the faith ; though they alfo Jhall he
converted in G od’s good time-, for he is mighty and wife. This is the free
„race of G od : he beftoweth the fame on whom he pleafeth: and Gop is indued
with great beneficence. The likenefs of thofe who were charged with the obfer-
vance of the law, and then obferved it not, is as the likenefs of an afs laden
with books V How wretched it the likenefs' of the people who-charge the
figns of G od with falihood! and G o d direfteth not the unjuft people. SayT
O ye who follow the Jewifh religion, if ye fay that ye are the friends of
G o d above other men, wifh for deathc, if ye fpeak truth. But they will
never wifh for it, becaufe of that which their hands have fent before themd: and
G od well knoweth the unjuft. Say, Verily death, from which ye, Cy, will
furely meet you : then fhall ye be brought before him who knoweth as well
what
“ See the Prelim. Difc. §. II. p. 42.
. As the likenefs of an afs laden with books;]
Becaufe they under Hand not the prophecies
contained in the law, which bear witnefs to
Mohammed, no more than the afs does the
boohs he carries.
e Wifh for death;] i. e. Make it your requeft
to God, that he would tranflate you from thia
troublefome world to a Hate* of never-fading
blifs.
b See chap. 2. p. 12.
what is conqeated as Tvhat is difeovered; and he will declare unto you that which
:ye have done. O true believers, when ye are called to prayer on the day of
the aflemblya, haften to the commemoration of God, and leave merchandizing.
This will be better for you* if ye knew //.. And when prayer is ended,
then difperfe yourfelves through the land as ye lifty and feek gain of the
liberality of Gob,11; and remember God frequently, that ye may profper.
But when they, fee any merchandizing, or fport, they flock thereto, and
leave thee standing -up in fhy pulpit*. S a y , The reward which is with
'God is better :than any fport or merchandize : and God <is the befl: provider.
a The day of the afemblyi] That is Friday, pations, ifye;thinkfit : for the Mohammedans do
which being more peculiarly fet apart by 'Mo- not hold themfelves obliged to obferve the day
hammed for the public worlhip of G od, is o f their public aflembly with the fame ftrittnefs
therefore called Tamm al. jomâ, i. e. the day of as the Chrifians and Jems do their refpettive
: fbe ajfembly, ôr congrégation ? whereas it was Sabbath j or particularly to abftainfrom work,
before "called al Aruba. The firft time (this after - they have performed their devotions.
• day was particularly obferved , as fiome fay, Some, however, from a tradition of-their pro -
was on the prophet’ s arrival at Medina, into phet, are of opinion that-works of charity, and
which city die made his firft entry on a ‘Friday : ’ religious exercifes, which may draw down the
-but others’tdll us that1 Caab^Ebn Lozoa, one hf bleffing d f G od, àre recommended in this
Mohammed's ^nçeftors, .gave the day its .prefent paflage.
.namç, becaufe on that day the people'ufed to be s-When they fee any Merchandizing* or fport*
djfenibled before him 1. One reafon.given for the &c.:] It is related that one Friday, while Mo-
obfervation of Friday, preferably to any other hammed ‘was preaching, a caravan of merchants
• day of the week, is becaufe on that day G od happened to arrive with their drums beating,
-finilhed the creation'2. according to cuftom ; which- the congregation
b And feek gain of the liberality of G odj] By hearing, they all ran out. of the Mofque to fee
• returning to your commerce and worldly occu- them, except twelve only 3 T
* A l Bei'dawi. 2 F. Gol. in % frag. p. , 3 ^/B eidawi, Ja l l a l .
C H A P. LXIIL
■ Intitied, The Hypocrites.j revealed at Medina.
In the name of the moft merciful God.
WHEN-the hypocrites come unto thee, they fay, We bear witnefs that
thou art indeed the apoftle of G od. And G od knoweth that thou
art indeed his apoftle : but G od beareth witnefs that the hypocrites are certainly
liars. They have taken their oaths for a prote&ion, and they turn others
afide from the way óf G od : it is furely evil which they do. This is teftified of
them, becaufe they believed, and afterwards, became unbelievers : wherefore a
Teal is "fet on'their hearts, and they fhall riot undefftand. ‘ When'thou. Jbe-
M m.m 2 - holdeft