XLIX. + And repute not those slain in God's cause1 to be dead: nay, alive with their Lord, they are provided for; Joyful in what God of His bounty hath vouchsafed them, and rejoicing for those that follow after them, but have not yet overtaken them, that on them no fear shall come, neither shall they grieve; Rejoicing at the favour of God and His bounty, and that God suffereth not the reward of the faithful to perish. (iii. 163–165.) L. Whosoever doeth the things that are right, whether male or female, being a believer,—these shall enter paradise, and shall not be wronged in the least degree. LI. (iv. 123.) For those who have disbelieved in their Lord [is prepared] the punishment of hell; and evil [shall be] the journey.2 When they shall be cast into it they shall hear it braying,3 while it boileth, well-nigh bursting with fury. (lxvii. 6–8.) LII. If thou shouldst see those who have offended 5 when they see the punishment!®—for power belongeth altogether unto God, and God is severe in punishing: When those who have been followed will declare themselves clear of those who have followed [them]," when they have seen the punishment, and the ties [that bound them together] shall be severed from them: And those who have followed shall say, 'O that there were for us a return to the world! then would we declare ourselves clear of them, like as they have now declared themselves clear of us!' After this manner will God show 1 [Fighting for the faith.] 2 [Or 'end,' 'result.'] 3 "Arms on armour clashing bray'd Horrible discord."— Par. Lost, vi. 209. the original differ here, but the differences are unimportant. 5 By taking to themselves idols. 6 Thou wouldst see a great thing! 7 Denying their having led them 4 O Moḥammad. The copies of into error. them their evil works, for which [they shall pour forth] lamentations; and they shall not come forth from the (ii. 160-162.) fire. LIII. And the Devil1 shall say, when the matter shall have been determined,2 Verily God promised you the promise of truth; and I promised you, but I deceived you: yet had I no power over you; Therefore But I only called you and ye answered me. blame not me, but blame your own selves. I am not a helper of you, neither are ye helpers of me. Verily I renounce your having associated me with God heretofore.' (xiv. 26, 27). LIV. Verily the hypocrites shall be in the lowest abyss of the fire, and thou shalt not find for them any defender. LV. (iv. 144.) 5 6 They will ask thee respecting the Hour, at what time is its coming fixed. SAY, The knowledge of it is only with my Lord: none shall manifest it in its time but He. It is grievous in the heavens and in the earth. It shall not. come upon you otherwise than suddenly. They will ask thee as though thou wert well acquainted therewith. SAY, The knowledge of it is only with God: but the greater number of men know not! SAY, I possess not for myself power to procure advantage nor to avert mischief, save as God pleaseth: and if I knew things unseen, I should obtain abundance of good, and evil should not happen unto me. I am only a denouncer of threats unto the unbelievers, and an announcer of good tidings unto the people who believe. (vii. 186-188.) 1 Iblees. 2 And the people of paradise are introduced into paradise, and the people of the fire into the fire, and when the latter have assembled around him. 3 Respecting the resurrection and retribution. 4 The contrary. PREDESTINATION. LVI. A soul cannot die unless by permission of God, according to a writing of God, definite as to time. (iii. 139.) LVII. They say [whose companions were slain at the battle of Ohod], 'If aught of the affair had been submitted to us we had not been slain here.'1 SAY, Had ye been in your houses, those of you who were decreed to be slain had gone forth to the places where they lie. (iii. 148.) LVIII. Wheresoever ye be, death will overtake you, although you be in lofty towers. If good fortune betide them,2 they say, 'This is from God!' But if evil betide them, they say, 'This is from thee, O Moḥammad!' SAY, All is from God. And what aileth this people that they are not near to understanding what is said unto them? Whatsoever good betideth thee, O man, it is from God; and whatsoever evil betideth thee, from thyself is it. LIX. (iv. 80, 81.) † No soul can believe but by the permission of God. LX. (x. 100.) +And whoso willeth taketh the way to his Lord: But ye shall not will it, unless God will it. (lxxvi. 29, 30.) LXI. + Expend in the way of God, and throw not yourselves into destruction.3 1 If the choice had been given us we had not gone forth and had not been slain. 2 Namely, the Jews. (ii. 191.) 3 [See Modern Egyptians, 5th ed., p. 284.1 ANGELS AND JINN LXII. They say, 'The Compassionate hath gotten offspring.' 2 Extolled be His purity! Nay, they are honoured servants. They prevent Him not in speech,3 and according to His command they act. He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they shall not intercede Save for whom He shall please, and they fear in dread of Him. And him among them who saith, 'I am a god beside Him,' that [angel] We will recompense with Hell. (xxi. 26–30.) LXIII. SAY, It hath been revealed to me that a company of the Jinn listened [to me] and said, 'Verily we have heard a wonderful discourse 5 Which guideth unto right: wherefore we believed in it, and we will by no means associate any one with our Lord. We tried the heaven, but we found it filled with a mighty garrison and darting flames; We sat on some of its seats to listen, but whosoever listeneth now findeth a darting flame in ambush for him. We know not whether evil be meant for them that are on the earth, or whether their Lord intendeth for them a right guidance. There are among us the good, and are not so,—we are of various ways. 1 [On the various orders of the Jinn, see Lane's Thousand and One Nights, Introduction, note 21. And see above, pp. 7, 9. 2 Consisting of the angels. among us those who (lxxii. 1, 2, 8–11.) 3 They speak not until after He hath spoken. 4 Iblees [the devil]. 5 [In the Arabic, 'Kurán.'] TRUE RELIGION AND FALSE. LXIV. Verily God commandeth justice and the doing of good and the giving unto the relation: and He forbiddeth wickedness and iniquity and oppression. He admonisheth you that ye may reflect (xvi. 92.)1 LXV. +By the Night when she spreadeth her veil, By the Day when it appeareth in glory, By Him who made male and female; Verily your aims are indeed different! As then for him who giveth [alms] and feareth [God], And yieldeth assent to the Good, To him will We therefore make easy the path to happiness. But as to him who is covetous and bent on riches, And calleth the Good a lie, To him will We make easy the path to distress; And what shall his wealth avail him when he goeth down headlong? Truly man's guidance is with Us, And Ours the next Life and this life Present. I warn you therefore of the flaming fire; 1 This is said to be the most comprehensive verse in the Ķur-án with respect to good and evil. [The commentators say it contains the whole duty of man, both in respect of doing and of shunning. It is needless to enumerate the various virtues and sins which they consider are implied in each of the simple words of the text.] |