4 8S Al KORAN. Chap. 83.
CHA P . LXXXVII.
Untitled, The moll High*; revealed at M e c c a .»
In the name o f the moll merciful G o d .
PRA ISE the name o f thy L o r d , the-moft high; who hath created,
and compleatly formed his creatures: and who determine* them to
various ends \ and direfteth them to attain the fame' ; and who produce*
the pafture for cattle, and afterwards rendreth the fame dry ftubble ot a
dufkv hue. - We. will enable thee to rehearfe our revelations » ana thou malt
not forget am part thereof, except what G od .fliall pleafe"; for he knowetli
that which is manifeft, and that which is hidden. And we wijl facilitate
unto thee the moft eafy way*. Wherefore admonifh thy people, if % admonition
lhall be profitable unto them. Whofo feareth God, ht will be admo-
nilhed: but the moft wretched unbeliever will turn away therefrom; who
lhall be call: to be broiled in the greater fire of hell, wherein he lhall not
die neither lhall he live. Now hath he attained felicity who is purified by
faith, and who remembreth the name of his L o r d , and prayeth. But ye prefer
this prefent life: yet the life to come is better, and more durable. Verily
this is written in the ancient books, the books of A b r a h a m and M oses.
• Some take the firft word of this chapter, • Except wbot Goo Jhall pleafii] i. e. Except
viz. Praife, for its title. f t * revelations as G od lhall think fit to abro-
» WhJieterminethtbem to various ends i\ De- gate, and blot out of thy-memory. See chap.
termining their various fpecies, properties, 2. p. 14, and chap. 75. p- 474’ Termini g 1 * W e w i l l f a c i l i t a t e unto th e e th e mofi eafy
" T J b d d i ’reBetb them, & c j Guiding the ra- T o retain the relations communicated
tlnnal bv their reafon and alfo by revelation, to„thee by Gairzet: or, as feme underftand the
a n d the ^rational by inilina *, f g l words, We m il difpafe thee u the prfeffim and
“ See chap. 75. p. 474. Pia Wff °f M ■ ■ rchZm’ tbat ls* r o f JJldm. .
1 A l Be id aw i. a Idem.
CHAP. LXXXVIII.
Intitled, The Overwhelminga; revealed at M ecca.
In the name of the moft merciful G od.
HA TH the news of the overwhelming day of judgment reached thee?
The countenances of fome, on that day, /hall be call down; labouring
and
* The overwhelming;] This is a name, or epi- overwhelm all creatures with fear and allonilh-
thet, of the laft day becaufe it will fuddenly meat. It is alfo a name, or epithet, ot hell-nre.
C ha p . 89. A l K O R A N . ^^9
and toiling ■ : they lhall be cafe into fcorching fire to be broiled: they (hall be
given to drink of a boiling fountain: they fhall have no food, but of dry
thorns and thirtiesb; which fhall not fatten, neither fliall they fatisfy hunger.
But the countenances of others, on that day, fhall be joyful; well pleafed with
their pajl endeavour : they fhall be placed in a lofty garden, wherein thou (halt
hear no vain difeourfe : therein fhall be a running fountain: therein fhall be
raifed beds, and goblets placed before them, and cufhions laid in order, and
carpets ready fpread. Do they not confider the camels', how they are
created ; and the heaven, how it is raifed ; and the mountains, how they are
fixed ; and the earth, how it is extended ? Wherefore warn thy people; for
thou art a warner only : thou art not- impowered to adt with authority over
them. But whoever fhall turn back4, and disbelieve, G o d fhall punifh him
with the greater punilhment of the life to come. Verily unto us fhall they
return : then fhall it be our part to bring them to account.
a Labouring and' toiling;] i. e. Dragging their
chains, and labouring through hell-fire, as camels
labour thro’ mud, l$c. Or, Employing
and fatiguing themjelves in what fliall not avail
them *.
b Dry thorns and thiftles;] Such as the camels
eat when green and tender. Some take the original
word al Dari for the name of a thorny tree.
c Do they not confider the camels, &c.] Thefe
animals are of fuch ufe, or, rather neceffity, in
the eaft, that the creation of a fpecies fo wonderfully
adapted to thofe countries, is a very
proper inftance, to an Arabian, of the power
and wifdom of God.
Some, however, think the clouds (which the
original word ibl alfo fignifies,) are here intended
; the heaven being mentioned immediately
after.
d But whoever (hall turn back, &c.] Or, Except
him who jhall turn back, and be an infidel:
and Gov jhall alfo punijb him, 8cc. By which
exception fome fuppofe that power is here given
to Mohammed to chaftile obftinate infidels and
apoftates.
CHAP. LXXXIX.
Infilled, The Day-break; revealed at M e c c a 1.
In the name of the moft merciful G od.
B Y the day-break, and ten nightsb; by that which is double, and that
which is Anglec; and by the night when it cometh on : is there not in
R r r this
* Some are of opinion this chapter was revealed
at Medina.
b The ten nights;] That is, The ten nights of
Dhu'lbajja, or the tenth of that month, (whence
fome underftand the day-break mentioned juft
before, of the morning of that day, or of the
preceding j) or the nights of the 10th of Mohar-
ram s or, as others rather think, the^ 10th,
n th , and 12th of Dhu'lbajja. All which are
days peculiarly facred among the Mohammedans.
5 By .that which is double, and that which is
1 See chapi 51. p. 423.
Jingle;] Thefe words are varioufly interpreted.
Some underftand thereby all things in general ;
fome, all created beings, (which are faid to have
been created by pairs, or of two kinds *,) and
the'Creator, who is Angle; fome, ofthoprimunt
mobile, and the other orbs; fome, of the conftel-
lations, and the planets; fome, of the nights
before mentioned, taken either together or
fingly; and fome, of the day of flaying the
viftims, (the 10th of Dhu'lbajja,) and of the
day of Arafat, which is the day before, £sV. a
* Al Z amaku.
P A
so