holdeft them, their perfons pleafe thee 1 : and if they fpeak, thou heareft
their difcourfe with delight. They refemble pieces of timber fet up againfl a
wall'0. They imagine every fhout to be againft them They are enemies ;
wherefore beware of them. G od curfe them: how are they turned afide
from the truth! And when it is faid unto them, Come, that the apoftle of
G od may ask pardon for you ; they turn away their heads, and thou feeft
them retire big with difdain. It Jhall be equal unto them, whether thou ask
pardon for them, or do not ask pardon for them s G od will by no means
forgive them : for G od direfteth not the prevaricating people. Thefe are
the men who fay to the inhabitants of M e d in a , D o not beftow any thing on
the refugees who are with the apoftle of G o d , that they may be obliged to fe-
parate from him. Whereas unto G od belong the ftores of heaven and earth :
but the hypocrites do not underftand. They fay, Verily, if we return to
Medina, the worthier fhall expel thence thé meaner a. Whereas fuperior
worth belongeth unto G o d , and his apoftle, and the true believers: but the hypocrites
know it not. O true believers, let noc your riches or your children
divert you from the remembrance of G od : for whofoever doth this, they
will furely be lofers. And give alms out of that which we have beftowed on
you; before death come unto one of you, and he fay, O L o rd, , wilt
thou not grant me refpite for a Ihort term ; that I may give alms, and become
one of the righteous ? For G od will by no means grant further refpite to
a foul, when its determined time is come: and G o d is fully apprized of that
which ye do.
• When thou beholdeß them, their perfons pleaje
thee, &c. ] The commentators tell us, that Abdallah
Ebn Obba, ä chief hypocrite, was a tall
man of a very graceful prefence, and of a ready
and eloquent tongue; and ufed to frequent the
prophet’s affembly, attended by feveral like
himfelf: and that thefe men were greatly admired
by Mohammed, who was .taken with,
their handfome appearance, and liftened to their
difcourfe with pleafure 1.
*> <rbey refemble pieces of'timber fet up againft
a walli\ Being tall and big, but-void of knowledge
and confederation *.
1 ^f/BEIDAWI.
c- They imagine every Jhsuf to be againft tbem\\
Living under continual apprehenfions; becaufe
they are confcious of their Kypocrify towards
G od, and their inlincerity tpwards the Mof-
lems.
d They fay, Verily, i f we return to Medina,
the worthier Jhall expel thence the meaner;] Thefe,
as well as the preceding, were the words *of
Ebn Obba to one of Medina, who in a certain
expedition quarrelling with an Arab of the defart
about water, received a blow on the head
with a ftick, and made his complaint thereof
to him 3.
* Idem. 3 Idem.
CHAP. LXIV.
Intitled, Mutual Deceit ; revealed at M e c c a *.
In the name of the moft merciful God.
Hatever is in heaven and earth celebrateth the praifes of God : his is
the
w
The commentators are not agreed whether dina ; or partly at the one place, and partly at
this chapter was revealed at Mecca, or at Me- the other.
the kingddm, and unto him is the praife due; for he is almighty. It is he
who hath created you ; and one of you is predefined to be an unbeliever, and
another of you is predefined to be a believer : and G od beholdeth that which ye
do. He hath created the heavens and the earth with truth ; and he hath faftii-
oned you, and given you beautiful forms: and unto him mull ye all go. He
knowerh whatever is in heaven and earth: and he knoweth that which ye conceal,
and that which ye difcover; for G od knoweth the innermoft part of
mens breafts. Have ye not been acquainted with the flory of thofe who disbelieved
heretofore, and tailed the evil eonfequence of their behaviour ? And
for them is prepared, in the life to come, a tormenting punilhmenc. This
fa ll they fuffer, becaufe their apoftles came unto them with evident proofs of
their mifion, and they faid, Shall men diredl us ? Wherefore they believed
not, and turned their backs. But G od ftandeth in need of no perfon: for
G od is felf-fufficient, and worthy to be praifed. The unbelievers imagine
that they fhall not be raifed again. Say, Ye a, by my L o r d , ye fhall furely
be raifed again : then fhall ye be told-that which ye have wrought; and
this is eafy with G o d . Wherefore believe in G od and his apoftle, and the
lio-ht which we have fent down : for G od is well acquainted with that which
ye do. On a certain day he fhall afiemble you, at - the day of the general affembly
; that will be the day of mutual deceita. And whofo fhall .believe in
G o d , and (hall do that which is right, from him will he expiate his evil deeds,
and he will lead him into gardens beneath which rivers flow, to remain therein
for ever. This will be great felicity. But they who fhall not believe,
and fhall accufe our figns of fallhood, thofe Jhall be the inhabitants of hell
fire, wherein they fhall remain for ever ; and a wretched journey fa ll it be
thither ! No misfortune happeneth but by the permiffion of G od ; and whofo
believeth in G o d , he will direcl his heart: and G o d knoweth all things. Wherefore
obey G o d , and obey the apoftle : but if ye turn back, verily the duty incumbent
on our apoftle is only public preaching. G od 1 there is no G od but he :
wherefore in G od let the faithful put their trull. O true believers, verily of your
wives and your children ye have an enemy b: wherefore beware of them. But
if ye pafs over their offences, and pardon, and forgive themc; G od is likewife inclined
to forgive, and merciful. Your wealth and your children are only, a
temptation : but with G od is a great reward. Wherefore fear G od, as .much
as ye are able; and hear, and obey: and give alms, for the good of your
fouls ; for whofo is preferved from the covetoulhefs of his own foul,., they fhall
profper. If ye lend unto G od an acceptable loan, he will double.the fame
unto
* The Jay of mutual deceits'] When the blef- married man caring for the things that are- of
fed will deceive the damned, by taking the this world, while'the unmarried caretbfortbt
.places which they would have haa in paradife, things that belong to the Lord 3.
had they been true believers; and contrari- c T f ye pafs over their offences, &c.] Con-
wife x. lidering that the hindrance they may occafion
b ° f y°ur w*ves an^ your children ye have v»» you proceeds from their affection, and their ill
enemy; ] For thefe are apt to diftrad a man bearing your abfence in time o f war. &c.
from his duty, efpecially in time of diftrefs *; a