Oscar Wilde - "Lady Windermere's Fan"

A. H. Leahy - "Heroic Romances of Ireland Volumes 1 and 2 Combined"

Constant - "The Private Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, v11"

Ambrose Bierce - "Present at a Hanging and Other Ghost Stories"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Koran (without footnotes)

U >> Unknown >> The Koran (without footnotes)






________


CHAPTER XLII.

ENTITLED, CONSULTATION; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

H.M.
A.S.K.
THUS doth the mighty, the wise GOD reveal his will unto
thee; and in like manner did he reveal it unto the prophets who were before
thee.
Unto him belongeth whatever is in heaven, and in earth; and he is the
high, the great God.
It wanteth little but that the heavens be rent in sunder from above, at
the awfulness of his majesty: the angels celebrate the praise of their LORD,
and ask pardon for those who dwell in the earth. Is not GOD the forgiver of
sins, the merciful?
But as to those who take other gods for their patrons, besides him, GOD
observeth their actions: for thou art not a steward over them.
Thus have we revealed unto thee an Arabic Koran, that thou mayest warn
the metropolis of Mecca, and the Arabs who dwell round about it; and mayest
threaten them with the day of the general assembly, of which there is no
doubt: one part shall then be placed in paradise, and another part in hell.
If GOD had pleased, he had made them all of one religion; but he leadeth
whom he pleaseth into his mercy; and the unjust shall have no patron or
helper.
Do they take other patrons, besides him? whereas GOD is the only true
patron: he quickeneth the dead; and he is almighty.
10 Whatever matter ye disagree about, the decision thereof appertaineth
unto GOD. This is GOD, my LORD: in him do I trust, and unto him do I turn me:
the Creator of heaven and earth: he hath given you wives of your own
species, and cattle both male and female; by which means he multiplieth you:
there is nothing like him; and it is he who heareth and seeth.
His are the keys of heaven and earth; he bestoweth provision abundantly
on whom he pleaseth, and he is sparing unto whom he pleaseth; for he knoweth
all things.
He hath ordained you the religion which he commanded Noah, and which we
have revealed unto thee, O Mohammed, and which we commanded Abraham,
and Moses, and Jesus: saying, Observe this religion, and be not divided therein.
The worship of one God, to which thou invitest them, is grievous unto the
unbelievers: GOD will elect thereto whom he pleaseth, and will direct unto the
same him who shall repent.
Those who lived in times past were not divided among themselves, until
after that the knowledge of GOD's unity had come unto them; through their own
perverseness: and unless a previous decree had passed from thy LORD, to bear
with them till a determined time, verily the matter had been decided between
them, by the destruction of the gainsayers. They who have inherited the
scriptures after them, are certainly in a perplexing doubt concerning the
same.
Wherefore invite them to receive the sure faith, and be urgent with them,
as thou hast been commanded; and follow not their vain desires: and say, I
believe in all the scriptures which GOD hath sent down; and I am commanded to
establish justice among you: GOD is our LORD and your LORD: unto us will our
works be imputed, and unto you will your works be imputed: let there be no
wrangling between us and you; for GOD will assemble us all at the last day,
and unto him shall we return.
As to those who dispute concerning GOD, after obedience hath been paid
him by receiving his religion, their disputing shall be vain in the sight of
their LORD; and wrath shall fall on them, and they shall suffer a grievous
punishment.
It is GOD who hath sent down the scripture with truth; and the balance of
true judgment: and what shall inform with truth; and the balance of true
judgment: and what shall inform thee whether the hour be nigh at hand?
They who believe not therein wish it to be hastened by way of mockery:
but they who believe dread the same, and know it to be the truth. Are not
those who dispute concerning the last hour in a wide error?
GOD is bounteous unto his servants; he provideth for whom he pleaseth;
and he is the strong, the mighty.
20 Whoso chooseth the tillage of the life to come, unto him will we give
increase in his tillage: and whoso chooseth the tillage of this world, we will
give him the fruit thereof; but he shall have no part in the life to come.
Have the idolaters deities which ordain them a religion which GOD hath
not allowed? But had it not been for the decree of respiting their punishment
to the day of separating the infidels from the true believers, judgment had
been already given between them: for the unjust shall surely suffer a painful
torment.
On that day thou shalt see the unjust in great terror, because of their
demerits; and the penalty thereof shall fall upon them: but they who believe
and do good works shall dwell in the delightful meadows of paradise; they
shall obtain whatever they shall desire, with their LORD. This is the
greatest acquisition.
This is what GOD promiseth unto his servants who believe and do good
works. Say, I ask not of you, for this my preaching, any reward, except the
love of my relations: and whoever shall have deserved well by one good action,
unto him will we add the merit of another action thereto; for GOD is inclined
to forgive, and ready to reward.
Do they say, Mohammed hath blasphemously forged a lie concerning GOD? If
GOD pleaseth, he will seal up thy heart: and GOD will absolutely abolish
vanity, and will establish the truth in his words; for he knoweth the
innermost part of men's breasts.
It is he who accepteth repentance from his servants, and forgiveth sins,
and knoweth that which ye do.
He will incline his ear unto those who believe and work righteousness,
and will add unto them above what they shall ask or deserve, of his bounty:
but the unbelievers shall suffer a severe punishment.
If GOD should bestow abundance upon his servants they would certainly
behave insolently in the earth: but he sendeth down by measure unto every one
that which he pleaseth; for he well knoweth and seeth the condition of his
servants.
It is he who sendeth down the rain, after men have despaired thereof, and
spreadeth abroad his mercy; and he is the patron, justly to be praised.
Among his signs is the creation of heaven and earth, and of the living
creatures with which he hath replenished them both; and he is able to gather
them together before his tribunal, whenever he pleaseth.
30 Whatever misfortune befalleth you is sent unto you by God, for that which
your hands have deserved; and yet he forgiveth many things:
ye shall not frustrate the divine vengeance in the earth; neither shall
ye have any protector or helper, against GOD.
Among his signs also are the ships running in the sea, like high
mountains:
if he pleaseth, he causeth the wind to cease, and they lie still on
the back of the water: (verily herein are signs unto every patient and
grateful person):
or he destroyeth them by shipwreck, be cause of that which their crews
have merited; though he pardoneth many things.
And they who dispute against our signs shall know that there will be no
way for them to escape our vengeance.
Whatever things are given you, they are the provision of this present
life: but the reward which is with GOD is better, and more durable, for those
who believe, and put their trust in their LORD;
and who avoid heinous and filthy crimes, and when they are angry,
forgive;
and who hearken unto their LORD, and are constant at prayer, and whose
affairs are directed by consultation among themselves, and who give alms out
of what we have bestowed on them;
and who, when an injury is done them, avenge themselves
40 (and the retaliation of evil ought to be an evil proportionate thereto):
but he who forgiveth and is reconciled unto his enemy, shall receive his
reward from GOD; for he loveth not the unjust doers.
And whoso shall avenge himself, after he hath been injured; as to these,
it is not lawful to punish them for it:
but it is only lawful to punish those who wrong men, and act insolently
in the earth, against justice; these shall suffer a grievous punishment.
And whoso beareth injuries patiently, and forgiveth; verily this is a
necessary work.
Whom GOD shall cause to err, he shall afterwards have no protector.
And thou shalt see the ungodly, who shall say, when they behold the
punishment prepared for them, Is there no way to return back into the world?
And thou shalt see them exposed unto hell fire; dejected, because of the
ignominy they shall undergo: they shall look at the fire sideways, and by
stealth; and the true believers shall say, Verily the losers are they who have
lost their own souls, and their families, on the day of resurrection: shall
not the ungodly continue in eternal torment?
They shall have no protectors to defend them against GOD: and whom GOD
shall cause to err, he shall find no way to the truth.
Hearken unto your LORD, before the day come, which GOD will not keep
back: ye shall have no place of refuge on that day; neither shall ye be able
to deny your sins.
But if those to whom thou preachest turn aside from thy admonitions,
verily we have not sent thee to be a guardian over them: thy duty is preaching
only. When we cause man to taste mercy from us, he rejoiceth thereat: but
if evil befall them, for that which their hands have formerly committed, verily
man becometh ungrateful.
Unto GOD appertaineth the kingdom of heaven and earth: he createth that
which he pleaseth; he giveth females unto whom he pleaseth, and he giveth
males unto whom he pleaseth;
50 or he giveth them males and females jointly: and he maketh whom he
pleaseth to be childless; for he is wise and powerful.
It is not fit for man that GOD should speak unto him otherwise than by
private revelation, or from behind a veil, or by his sending of a messenger
to reveal, by his permission, that which he pleaseth; for he is high and wise.
Thus have we revealed unto thee a revelation, by our command. Thou
didst not understand, before this, what the book of the Koran was, nor what
the faith was: but we have ordained the same for a light; we will thereby
direct such of our servants as we please: and thou shalt surely direct them
into the right way,
the way of GOD, unto whom belongeth whatever is in heaven and in earth.
Shall not all things return unto GOD?



________


CHAPTER XLIII.

ENTITLED, THE ORNAMENTS OF GOLD; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

H.M.
BY the perspicuous book;
verily we have ordained the same an Arabic Koran that ye may understand:
and it is certainly written in the original book, kept with us, being
sublime and full of wisdom.
Shall we therefore turn away from you the admonition, and deprive you
thereof, because ye are a people who transgress?
And how many prophets have we sent among those of old?
and no prophet came unto them, out they laughed him to scorn:
wherefore we destroyed nations who were more mighty than these in
strength; and the example of those who were of old hath been already set
before them.
If thou ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will
certainly answer, The mighty, the wise God created them:
10 who hath spread the earth as a bed for you, and hath made you paths
therein, that ye may be directed:
and who sendeth down rain from heaven by measure, whereby we quicken a
dead country; (so shall ye be brought forth from your graves:)
and who hath created all the various species of things, and hath given
you ships and cattle, whereon ye are carried;
that ye may sit firmly on the backs thereof, and may remember the favor
of your LORD, when ye sit thereon, and may say, Praise be unto him, who hath
subjected these unto our service! for we could not have mastered them by our
own power:
and unto our LORD shall we surely return.
Yet have they attributed unto him some of his servants as his offspring:
verily man is openly ungrateful.
Hath God taken daughters out of those beings which he hath created; and
hath he chosen sons for you?
But when one of them hath the news brought of the birth of a child of
that sex which they attribute unto the Merciful, as his similitude, his face
becometh black, and he is oppressed with sorrow.
Do they therefore attribute unto God female issue, which are brought up
among ornaments, and are contentious without cause?
And do they make the angels, who are the servants of the Merciful,
females? Were they present at their creation? Their testimony shall be
written down, and they shall be examined concerning the same, on the day of
judgment.
20 And they say, If the Merciful had pleased, we had not worshipped them.
They have no knowledge herein: they only utter a vain lie.
Have we given them a book of revelations before this; and do they keep
the same in their custody?
But they say, Verily we found our fathers practising a religion; and we
are guided in their footsteps.
Thus we sent no preacher before thee, unto any city, but the inhabitants
thereof who lived in affluence, said, Verily we found our fathers practising a
religion: and we tread in their footsteps.
And the preacher answered, What, although I bring you a more right
religion than that which ye found your fathers to practise? And they replied,
Verily we believe not that which ye are sent to preach.
Wherefore we took vengeance on them: and behold what hath been the end of
those who accused our apostles of imposture.
Remember when Abraham said unto his father, and his people, Verily I am
clear of the gods which ye worship,
except him who hath created me; for he will direct me aright.
And he ordained this to be a constant doctrine among his posterity; that
they should be turned from idolatry to the worship of the only true God.
Verily I have permitted these Meccans and their fathers to live in
prosperity, until the truth should come unto them, and a manifest apostle:
30 but now the truth is come unto them, they say, This is a piece of
sorcery; and we believe not therein.
And they say, Had this Koran been sent down unto some great man of
either of the two cities, we would have received it.
Do they distribute the mercy of thy LORD? We distribute the necessary
provision among them, in this present life, and we raise some of them several
degrees above the others, that the one of them may take the other to serve
him: and the mercy of thy LORD is more valuable than the riches which they
gather together.
If it were not that mankind would have become one sect of infidels,
verily we had given unto those who believe not in the Merciful, roofs of
silver to their houses, and stairs of silver, by which they might ascend
thereto,
and doors of silver to their houses, and couches of silver, for them to
lean on;
and ornaments of gold: for all this is the provision of the present life;
but the next life with thy LORD shall be for those who fear him.
Whoever shall withdraw from the admonition of the Merciful, we will chain
a devil unto him; and he shall be his inseparable companion:
(and the devils shall turn them aside from the way of truth; yet they
shall imagine themselves to be rightly directed:)
until, when he shall appear before us at the last day, he shall say unto
the devil, Would to GOD that between me and thee there was the distance of
the east from the west! Oh how wretched a companion art thou!
But wishes shall not avail you on this day, since ye have been unjust;
for ye shall be partakers of the same punishment.
40 Canst thou, O prophet, make the deaf to hear, or canst thou direct the
blind, and him who is in a manifest error?
Whether we take thee away, we will surely take vengeance on them;
or whether we cause thee to see the punishment with which we have
threatened them executed, we will certainly prevail over them.
Wherefore hold fast the doctrine which hath been revealed unto thee; for
thou art in a right way:
and it is a memorial unto thee and thy people, and hereafter shall ye be
examined concerning your observance thereof.
And ask our apostles whom we have sent before thee, whether we have
appointed gods for them to worship, besides the Merciful.
We formerly sent Moses with our signs unto Pharaoh and his princes, and
he said, Verily I am the apostle of the LORD of all creatures.
And when he came unto them with our signs, behold, they laughed him to
scorn;
although we showed them no sign, but it was greater than the other: and
we inflicted a punishment on them, that peradventure they might be converted.
And they said unto Moses, O magician, pray unto thy LORD for us,
according to the covenant which he hath made with thee; for we will certainly
be directed.
50 But when we took the plague from off them, behold, they brake their
promise.
And Pharaoh made proclamation among his people, saying, O my people, is
not the kingdom of Egypt mine, and these rivers, which flow beneath me? Do
ye not see?
Am not I better than this Moses, who is a contemptible person, and can
scarce express himself intelligibly?
Have bracelets of gold, therefore, been put upon him; or do the angels
attend him in orderly procession?
And Pharaoh persuaded his people to light behavior; and they obeyed him:
for they were a wicked people.
And when they had provoked us to wrath, we took vengeance on them: and we
drowned them all:
and we made them a precedent, and an example unto others.
And when the son of Mary was proposed for an example, behold, thy people
cried out through excess of joy thereat;
and they said, Are our gods better, or he? They have proposed this
instance unto thee no otherwise than for an occasion of dispute: yea, they are
contentious men.
Jesus is no other than a servant, whom we favored with the gift of
prophecy; and we appointed him for an example unto the children of Israel:
60 (if we pleased, verily we could from ourselves produce angels, to
succeed you in the earth):
and he shall be a sign of the approach of the last hour; wherefore doubt
not thereof. And follow me: this is the right way.
And let not Satan cause you to turn aside: for he is your open enemy.
And when Jesus came with evident miracles, he said, Now am I come unto
you with wisdom, and to explain unto you part of those things concerning
which ye disagree; wherefore fear GOD, and obey me.
Verily GOD is my LORD, and your LORD; wherefore worship him: this is the
right way.
And the confederated sects among them fell to variance: but woe unto
those who have acted unjustly, because of the punishment of a grievous day.
Do the unbelievers wait for any other than the hour of judgment; that it
may come upon them suddenly, while they foresee it not?
The intimate friends, on that day, shall be enemies unto one another;
except the pious.
O my servants, there shall no fear come on you this day, neither shall ye
be grieved:
who have believed in our signs, and have been Moslems:
70 enter ye into paradise, ye and your wives, with great joy.
Dishes of gold shall be carried round unto them, and cups without
handles: and therein shall they enjoy whatever their souls shall desire, and
whatever their eyes shall delight in: and ye shall remain therein forever.
This is paradise, which ye have inherited as a reward for that which ye
have wrought.
Therein shall ye have fruits in abundance, of which ye shall eat.
But the wicked shall remain forever in the torment of hell:
it shall not be made lighter unto them; and they shall despair therein.
We deal not unjustly with them, but they deal unjustly with their own
souls.
And they shall call aloud, saying, O Malec, intercede for us that thy
LORD would end us by annihilation. He shall answer, Verily ye shall remain
here forever.
We brought you the truth heretofore, but the greater part of you abhorred
the truth.
Have the infidels fixed on a method to circumvent our apostle? Verily we
will fix on a method to circumvent them.
80 Do they imagine that we hear not their secrets, and their private
discourse? Yea; and our messengers who attend thems write down the same.
Say, If the Merciful had a son, verily I would be the first of those who
should worship him.
Far be the LORD of heaven and earth, the LORD of the throne, from that
which they affirm of him!
Wherefore let them wade in their vanity, and divert themselves until they
arrive at their day with which they have been threatened.
He who is GOD in heaven, is GOD on earth also: and he is the wise, the
knowing.
And blessed be he unto whom appertaineth the kingdom of heaven and earth,
and of whatever is between them; with whom is the knowledge of the last hour;
and before whom ye shall be assembled.
They whom they invoke besides him have not the privilege to intercede for
others; except those who bear witness to the truth, and know the same.
If thou ask them who hath created them, they will surely answer, GOD.
How therefore are they turned away to the worship of others?
God also heareth the saying of the prophet, O LORD, verily these are
people who believe not:
and he answereth, Therefore turn aside from them; and say, Peace:
hereafter shall they know their folly.



________


CHAPTER XLIV.

ENTITLED, SMOKE; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

H.M.
BY the perspicuous book of the Koran;
verily we have sent down the same on a blessed night (for we had engaged
so to do),
on the night wherein is distinctly sent down the decree of every
determined thing,
as a command from us. Verily we have ever used to send apostles with
revelations, at proper intervals,
as a mercy from thy LORD; for it is he who heareth and knoweth:
the LORD of heaven and earth, and of whatever is between them; if ye are
men of sure knowledge.
There is no GOD but he: he giveth life, and he causeth to die; he is your
LORD, and the LORD of your forefathers.
Yet do they amuse themselves with doubt.
10 But observe them, on the day whereon the heaven shall produce a visible
smoke,
which shall cover mankind: this will be a tormenting plague.
They shall say, O LORD, take this plague from off us: verily we will
become true believers.
How should an admonition be of avail to them in this condition; when a
manifest apostle came unto them,
but they retired from him, saying, This man is instructed by others, or
is a distracted person?
We will take the plague from off you, a little: but ye will certainly
return to your infidelity.
On the day whereon we shall fiercely assault them with great power,
verily we will take vengeance on them.
We made trial of the people of Pharaoh before them, and an honourable
messenger came unto them,
saying, Send unto me the servants of GOD; verily I am a faithful
messenger unto you:
and lift not yourselves up against GOD; for I come unto you with manifest
power.
20 And I fly for protection unto my LORD, and your LORD, that ye stone me
not.
If ye do not believe me, at least depart from me.
And when they accused him of imposture, he called upon his LORD, saying,
These are a wicked people.
And God said unto him, March forth with my servants by night; for ye will
be pursued:
and leave the sea divided, that the Egyptians may enter the same; for
they are a host doomed to be drowned.
How many gardens, and fountains,
and fields of corn, and fair dwellings,
and advantages which they enjoyed, did they leave behind them!
Thus we dispossessed them thereof; and we gave the same for an
inheritance unto another people.
Neither heaven nor earth wept for them; neither were they respited any
longer.
30 And we delivered the children of Israel from a shameful affliction;
from Pharaoh; for he was haughty, and a transgressor:
and we chose them, knowingly, above all people;
and we showed them several signs, wherein was an evident trial.
Verily these Meccans say,
Assuredly our final end will be no other than our first natural death;
neither shall we be raised again:
bring now our forefathers back to life, if ye speak truth.
Are they better, or the people of Tobba, and those who were before
them? we destroyed them, because they wrought wickedness.
We have not created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between
them, by way of sport:
we have created them no otherwise than in truth; but the greater part of
them do not understand.
40 Verily the day of separation shall be the appointed term of them all:
a day, whereon the master and the servant shall be of no advantage to one
another, neither shall they be helped;
excepting those on whom GOD shall have mercy; for he is the mighty, the
merciful.
Verily, the fruit of the tree of al Zakkum
shall be the food of the impious:
as the dregs of oil shall it boil in the bellies of the damned,
like the boiling of the hottest water.
And it shall be said to the tormentors, Take him, and drag him into the
midst of hell:
and pour on his head the torture of boiling water,
saying, Taste this; for thou art that mighty and honourable person.
50 Verily this is the punishment of which ye doubted.
But the pious shall be lodged in a place of security,
among gardens and fountains:
they shall be clothed in fine silk, and in satin; and they shall sit
facing one another.
Thus shall it be: and we will espouse them to fair damsels, having large
black eyes.
In that place shall they call for all kinds of fruits, in full security:
they shall not taste death therein, after the first death; and God shall
deliver from the pains of hell:
through the gracious bounty of thy LORD. This will be great felicity.
Moreover we have rendered the Koran easy for thee, by revealing it in
thine own tongue; to the end that they may be admonished:
wherefore do thou wait the event; for they wait to see some misfortune
befall thee.