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Books: The Koran

U >> Unknown >> The Koran




t Or Midian, was a city of Hejâz, and the habitation of a tribe or the
same name, the descendants of Midian, the son of Abraham by Keturah,1 who
afterwards coalesced with the Ismaelites, as it seems; Moses naming the same
merchants who sold Joseph to Potiphar, in one place Ismaelites,2 and in
another Midianites.3
This city was situated on the Red Sea, south-east of Mount Sinai, and is
doubtless the same with the Modiana of Ptolemy; what was remaining of it in
Mohammed's time was soon after demolished in the succeeding wars,4 and it
remains desolate to this day. The people of the country pretend to show the
well whence Moses watered Jethro's flocks.5
u Some Mohammedan writers make him the son of Mikaïl, the son of
Yashjar, the son of Madian;6 and they generally suppose him to be the same
person with the father-in-law of Moses, who is named in scripture Reuel or
Raguel, and Jethro.7 But Ahmed Ebn Abd'alhalim charges those who entertain
this opinion with ignorance. Al Kessâi says that his father's name was Sanûn,
and that he was first called Boyûn, and afterwards Shoaib: and adds that he
was a comely person, but spare and lean, very thoughtful and of few words.
Doctor Prideaux writes this name, after the French translation, Chaib.8
x This demonstration the commentators suppose to have been a power of
working miracles, though the Korân mentions none in particular. However, they
say (after the Jews) that he gave his son-in-law that wonder-working rod,9
with which he performed all those miracles in Egypt and the desert, and also
excellent advice and instructions,10 whence he had the surname of Khatîb al
anbiyâ, or the preacher to the prophets.11
y For one of the great crimes which the Midianites were guilty of was
the using of diverse measures and weights, a great and a small, buying by one
and selling by another.12
z See before, p. 110, note m.
a Robbing on the highway, it seems, was another crying sin frequent
among these people. But some of the commentators interpret this passage
figuratively, of their besetting the way of truth, and threatening those who
gave ear to the remonstrances of Shoaib.13
b Like that which destroyed the Thamûdites. Some suppose it to have
been an earthquake, for the original word signifies either or both; and both
these dreadful calamities may well be supposed to have jointly executed the
divine vengeance.

2 Gen. xxxix. I. 3 Gen. xxxvii. 36. 4 Vide Golii not.
in Alfrag. p. 143. 5 Abulfed Desc. Arab. p. 42. Geogr. Nub. p. 10
6 Al Beidâwi, Tarikh Montakhab. 7 Exod. ii. 18; iii. I.
8 Life of Mah. p. 24.
9 Al Beidâwi. Vide Shalshel hakkab. p. 12. 10 Exod. xviii. 13, &c.
11 Vide D'Herbelot. Bibl. Orient. Art. Schoaib.
12 Vide ibid. al Beidâwi. See Deut. xxv. 13, 14. 13 Idem.


But if the inhabitants of those cities had believed and feared God, we
would surely have opened to them blessings both from heaven and earth. But
they charged our apostles with falsehood, wherefore we took vengeance on them,
for that which they had been guilty of.
Were the inhabitants therefore of those cities secure that our punishment
should not fall on them by night, while they slept?
Or were the inhabitants of those cities secure that our punishment should
not fall on them by day, while they sported?
Were they therefore secure from the stratagem of GOD?c But none will
think himself secure from the stratagem of GOD, except the people who perish.
And hath it not manifestly appeared unto those who have inherited the
earth after the former inhabitants thereof, that if we please, we can afflict
them for their sins? But we will seal up their hearts; and they shall not
hearken.
We will relate unto thee some stories of these cities. Their apostles
had come unto them with evident miracles, but they were not disposed to
believe in that which they had before gainsaid. Thus will GOD seal up the
hearts of the unbelievers.
100 And we found not in the greater part of them any observance of their
covenant; but we found the greater part of them wicked doers.
Then we sent after the above named apostles, Moses with our signs unto
Pharaohd and his princes; who treated them unjustly:e but behold what was the
end of the corrupt doers.
And Moses said, O Pharaoh, verily I am an apostle sent from the LORD of
all creatures.
It is just that I should not speak of GOD other than the truth. Now am I
come unto you with an evident sign from your LORD: send therefore the children
of Israel away with me. Pharaoh answered, If thou comest with a sign, produce
it, if thou speakest truth.
Wherefore he cast down his rod; and behold, it became a visible serpent.f

c Hereby is figuratively expressed the manner of GOD'S dealing with
proud and ungrateful men, by suffering them to fill up the measure of their
iniquity, without vouchsafing to bring them to a sense of their condition by
chastisements and afflictions till they find themselves utterly lost, when
they least expect it.1
d This was the common title or name of the kings of Egypt (signifying
king in the Coptic tongue), as Ptolemy was in after times; and as Cæsar was
that of the Roman emperors, and Khosrû that of the kings of Persia. But which
of the kings of Egypt this Pharaoh of Moses was, is uncertain. Not to mention
the opinions of the European writers, those of the east generally suppose him
to have been al Walîd, who, according to some, was an Arab of the tribe of Ad,
or, according to others, the son of Masáb, the son of Riyân, the son of
Walîd,2 the Amalekite.3 There are historians, however, who suppose Kabûs, the
brother and predecessor of al Walîd, was the prince we are speaking of; and
pretend he lived six hundred and twenty years, and reigned four hundred.
Which is more reasonable, at least, than the opinion of those who imagine it
was his father Masáb, or grand-father Riyân.4 Abulfeda says that Masáb being
one hundred and seventy years old, and having no child, while he kept the
herds saw a cow calve, and heard her say, at the same time, O Masáb, be not
grieved, for thou shalt have a wicked son, who will be at length cast into
hell. And he accordingly had this Walîd, who afterwards coming to be king of
Egypt, proved an impious tyrant.
e By not believing therein.
f The Arab writers tell enormous fables of this serpent or dragon. For
they say that he was hairy, and of so prodigious a size, that when he opened
his mouth, his jaws were fourscore cubits asunder, and when he laid his lower
jaw on the ground, his upper reached to the top of the palace; that Pharaoh
seeing this monster make toward him, fled from it, and was so terribly
frightened that he befouled himself; and that the whole assembly also betaking
themselves to their heels, no less than twenty-five thousand of them lost
their lives in the press. They add that Pharaoh upon this adjured Moses by
GOD who had sent him, to take away the serpent, and promised he would believe
on him, and let the Israelites go; but when Moses had done what he requested,
he relapsed, and grew as hardened as before.5

1 Al Beidâwi. 2 See the Prelim. Disc. p. 7. 3
Abulfeda, &c. 4 Kitâb tafsir lebâb, and al Keshâf.


And he drew forth his hand out of his bosom; and behold, it appeared
white unto the spectators.g
The chiefs of the people of Pharaoh said, This man is certainly an expert
magician:
he seeketh to dispossess you of your land; what therefore do ye direct?
They answered, Put off him and his brother by fair promises for some
time, and in the mean while send unto the cities persons who may assemble
and bring unto thee every expert magician.
110 So the magiciansh came unto Pharaoh; and they said, Shall we surely
receive a reward, if we do overcome?
He answered, Yea; and ye shall certainly be of those who approach near
unto my throne.
They said, O Moses, either do thou cast down thy rod first, or we will
cast down ours.
Moses answered, Do ye cast down your rods first. And when they had cast
them down, they enchanted the eyes of the men who were present, and terrified
them: and they performed a great enchantment.i
And we spake by revelation unto Moses, saying, Throw down thy rod. And
behold, it swallowed up the rods which they had caused falsely to appear
changed into serpents.k
Wherefore the truth was confirmed, and that which they had wrought
vanished.
And Pharaoh and his magicians were overcome there, and were rendered
contemptible.
And the magicians prostrated themselves, worshipping;
and they said, We believe in the LORD of all creatures,
the LORD of Moses and Aaron.l

g There is a tradition that Moses was a very swarthy man; and that when
he put his hand into his bosom, and drew it out again, it became extremely
white and splendid, surpassing the brightness of the sun.6 Marracci7 says we
do not read in scripture that Moses showed this sign before Pharaoh. It is
true, the scripture does not expressly say so, but it seems to be no more than
a necessary inference from that passage where GOD tells Moses that if they
will not hearken to the first sign, they will believe the latter sign, and if
they will not believe these two signs, then directs him to turn the water into
blood.8
h The Arabian writers name several of these magicians, besides their
chief priest Simeon, viz., Sadûr and Ghadûr, Jaath and Mosfa, Warân and Zamân,
each of whom came attended with their disciples, amounting in all to several
thousands.9
i They provided themselves with a great number of thick ropes and long
pieces of wood, which they contrived, by some means, to move, and make them
twist themselves one over the other, and so imposed on the beholders, who at a
distance took them to be true serpents.1
k The expositors add, that when this serpent had swallowed up all the
rods and cords, he made directly towards the assembly, and put them into so
great a terror that they fled, and a considerable number were killed in the
crowd; then Moses took it up, and it became a rod in his hand as before.
Whereupon the magicians declared that it could be no enchantment, because in
such case their rods and cords would not have disappeared.2
l It seems probable that all the magicians were not converted by this
miracle, for some writers introduce Sadûr and Ghadûr only, acknowledging
Moses's miracle to be wrought by the power of GOD. These two, they say, were
brothers, and the sons of a famous magician, then dead; but on their being
sent for to court on this occasion, their mother persuaded them to go to their
father's tomb to ask his advice. Being come to the tomb, the father answered
their call; and when they had acquainted him with the affair, he told them
that they should inform themselves whether the rod of which they spoke became
a serpent while its masters slept, or only when they were awake; for, said he,
enchantments have no effect while the enchanter is asleep, and therefore if it
be otherwise in this case, you may be assured that they act by a divine power.
These two magicians then, arriving at the capital of Egypt, on inquiry found,
to their great astonishment, that when Moses and Aaron went to rest, their rod
became a serpent, and guarded them while they slept.3 And this was the first
step towards their conversion.

5 Al Beidâwi. 6 Idem. 7 In Alc. p. 284.
8 Exod. iv. 8, 9.
9 Vide D'Herbelot, Bibl. Orient. Art. Mousa. p. 643, &c. Al Kessâi.
1 Al Beidâwi. Vide D'Herbelot, ubi sup. and Kor. c. 20.
2 Al Beidâwi. 3 Vide D'Herbel. ubi. sup.


120 Pharaoh said, Have ye believed on him, before I have given you
permission? Verily this is a plot which ye have contrived in the city, that
ye might cast forth from thence the inhabitants thereof.m But ye shall surely
know that I am your master;
for I will cause your hands and your feet to be cut off on the opposite
sides,n then will I cause you all to be crucified.o
The magicians answered, We shall certainly return unto our LORD, in the
next life;
for thou takest vengeance on us only because we have believed in the
signs of our LORD, when they have come unto us. O LORD, pour on us patience;
and cause us to die Moslems.p
And the chiefs of Pharaoh's people said, Wilt thou let Moses and his
people go, that they may act corruptly in the earth, and leave thee and thy
gods?q Pharaoh answered, We will cause their male children to be slain, and
we will suffer their females to live;r and by that means we shall prevail over
them.
Moses said unto his people, Ask assistance of GOD, and suffer patiently:
for the earth is God's, he giveth it for an inheritance unto such of his
servants as he pleaseth; and the prosperous end shall be unto those who fear
him.
They answered, We have been afflicted by having our male children slain,
before thou camest unto us, and also since thou hast come unto us. Moses
said, Peradventure it may happen that our LORD will destroy your enemy, and
will cause you to succeed him in the earth, that he may see how ye will act
therein.
And we formerly punished the people of Pharaoh with dearth and scarcity
of fruits, that they might be warned.
Yet when good happened unto them, they said, This is owing unto us: but
if evil befell them, they attributed the same to the ill luck of Moses, and
those who were with him.s Was not their ill luck with GOD?t But most of them
knew it not.
And they said unto Moses, Whatever sign thou show unto us, to enchant us
therewith, we will not believe on thee.
130 Wherefore we sent upon them a floodu and locusts, and lice,x and frogs,
and blood; distinct miracles: but they behaved proudly, and became a wicked
people.

m i.e., This is a confederacy between you and Moses, entered into
before ye left the city to go to the place of appointment, to turn out the
Copts, or native Egyptians, and establish the Israelites in their stead.4
n That is, your right hands and your left feet.
o Some say Pharaoh was the first inventor of this ignominious and
painful punishment.
p Some think these converted magicians were executed accordingly; but
others deny it, and say that the king was not able to put them to death,
insisting on these words of the Korân,5 You two, and they who follow you,
shall overcome.
q Which were the stars, or other idols. But some of the commentators,
from certain impious expressions of this prince, recorded in the Korân,1
whereby he sets up himself as the only god of his subjects, suppose that he
was the object of their worship, and therefore instead of alihataca, thy gods,
read ilahataca, thy worship.2
r That is, we will continue to make use of the same cruel policy to
keep the Israelites in subjection, as we have hitherto done. The commentators
say that Pharaoh came to this resolution because he had either been admonished
in a dream, or by the astrologers or diviners, that one of that nation should
subvert his kingdom.3
s Looking on him and his followers as the occasion of those calamities.
The original word properly signifies to take an ominous and sinister presage
of any future event, from the flight of birds, or the like.
t By whose will and decree they were so afflicted, as a punishment for
their wickedness.
u This inundation, they say, was occasioned by unusual rains, which
continued eight days together, and the overflowing of the Nile; and not only
covered their lands, but came into their houses, and rose as high as their
backs and necks; but the children of Israel had no rain in their quarters.4
As there is no mention of any such miraculous inundation in the Mosaic
writings, some have imagined this plague to have been either a pestilence, or
the small-pox, or some other epidemical distemper.5 For the word tufân, which
is used in this place, and is generally rendered a deluge, may also signify
any other universal destruction or mortality.
x Some will have these insects to have been a larger sort of tick;
others, the young locusts before they have wings.6

4 Al Beidâwi. 5 Cap. 28. 1 Ibid. and c. 26, &c.
2 Al Beidâwi. 3 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. 4 Idem, Abulfed.
5 Al Beidâwi. 6 Idem.


And when the plaguey fell on them, they said, O Moses, entreat thy LORD
for us, according to that which he hath covenanted with thee; verily if thou
take the plague from off us, we will surely believe thee, and we will let the
children of Israel go with thee. But when we had taken the plague from off
them until the term which God had granted them was expired, behold they broke
their promise.
Wherefore we took vengeance on them, and drowned them in the Red Sea;z
because they charged our signs with falsehood, and neglected them.
And we caused the people who had been rendered weak to inherit the
eastern parts of the earth and the western parts thereof,a which we blessed
with fertility; and the gracious word of thy LORD was fulfilled on the
children of Israel, for that they had endured with patience: and we destroyed
the structures which Pharaoh and his people had made, and that which they had
erected.b
And we caused the children of Israel to pass through the sea, and they
came unto a people who gave themselves up to the worship of their idols,c and
they said, O Moses, make us a god, in like manner as these people have gods.
Moses answered, Verily ye are an ignorant people:
for the religion which these follow will be destroyed, and that which
they do is vain.
He said, Shall I seek for you any other god than GOD; since he hath
preferred you to the rest of the world?
And remember when we delivered you from the people of Pharaoh, who
grievously oppressed you; they slew your male children, and let your females
live: therein was a great trial from your LORD.
And we appointed unto Moses a fast of thirty nights before we gave him
the law,d and we completed them by adding of ten more; and the stated time of
his LORD was fulfilled in forty nights. And Moses said unto his brother
Aaron, Be thou my deputy among my people during my absence; and behave
uprightly, and follow not the way of the corrupt doers.

y viz., Any of the calamities already mentioned, or the pestilence
which GOD sent upon them afterwards.
z See this wonderful event more particularly described in the tenth and
twentieth chapters.
a That is, the land of Syria, of which the eastern geographers reckon
Palestine a part, and wherein the commentators say the children of Israel
succeeded the kings of Egypt and the Amalekites.1
b Particularly the lofty tower which Pharaoh caused to be built, that
he might attack the GOD of Moses.2
c These people some will have to be of the tribe of Amalek, whom Moses
was commanded to destroy, and others of the tribe of Lakhm. Their idols, it
is said, were images of oxen, which gave the first hint to the making of the
golden calf.3
d The commentators say that GOD, having promised Moses to give him the
law, directed him to prepare himself for the high favour of speaking with GOD
in person by a fast of thirty days; and that Moses accordingly fasted the
whole month of Dhu'lkaada; but not liking the savour of his breath, he rubbed
his teeth with a dentrifice, upon which the angels told him that his breath
before had the odour of musk,4 but that his rubbing his teeth had taken it
away. Whereupon GOD ordered him to fast ten days more, which he did; and
these were the first ten days of the succeeding month Dhu'lhajja. Others,
however, suppose that Moses was commanded to fast and pray thirty days only,
and that during the other ten GOD discoursed with him.5

1 Idem. 2 Vide Kor. c. 28 and 40. 3 Al Beidâwi.
4 See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV
5 Al Beidâwi. Jallalo'ddin.


And when Moses came at our appointed time, and his LORD spake unto him,e
he said, O LORD, show me thy glory, that I may behold thee. God answereth,
Thou shalt in no wise behold me; but look towards the mountain,f and if it
stand firm in its place, then thou shalt see me. But when his LORD appeared
with glory in the mount,g he reduced it to dust. And Moses fell down in a
swoon.
140 And when he came to himself, he said, Praise be unto thee! I turn unto
thee with repentence, and I am the first of true believers.h
God said unto him, O Moses, I have chosen thee above all men, by
honouring thee with my commissions, and by my speaking unto thee: receive
therefore that which I have brought thee, and be one of those who give
thanks.i
And we wrote for him on the tablesk an admonition concerning every
matter, and a decision in every case,l and said, Receive this with reverence;
and command thy people that they live according to the most excellent precepts
thereof. I will show you the dwelling of the wicked.m
I will turn aside from my signs those who behave themselves proudly in
the earth, without justice: and although they see every sign, yet they shall
not believe therein; and although they see the way of righteousness, yet they
shall not take that way; but if they see the way of error, they shall take
that way.
This shall come to pass because they accuse our signs of imposture, and
neglect the same.
But as for them who deny the truth of our signs and the meeting of the
life to come, their works shall be vain: shall they be rewarded otherwise than
according to what they shall have wrought?
And the people of Moses, after his departure, took a corporeal calf,n
made of their ornaments,o which lowed.p Did they not see that it spake not
unto them, neither directed them in the way?
yet they took it for their god, and acted wickedly.
But when they repented with sorrow,q and saw that they had gone astray,
they said, Verily if our LORD have not mercy upon us, and forgive us not, we
shall certainly become of the number of those who perish.

e Without the mediation of any other, and face to face, as he speaks
unto the angels.6
f This mountain the Mohammedans name al Zabir.
g Or, as it is literally, unto the mount. For some of the expositors
pretend that GOD endued the mountain with life and the sense of seeing.
h This is not to be taken strictly. See the like expression in chapter
6, p. 90.
i The Mohammedans have a tradition that Moses asked to see GOD on the
day of Arafat, and that he received the law on the day they slay the victims
at the pilgrimage of Mecca, which days are the ninth and tenth of Dhu'lhajja.
k These tables, according to some, were seven in number, and according
to others ten. Nor are the commentators agreed whether they were cut out of a
kind of lote-tree in paradise called al Sedra, or whether they were
chrysolites, emeralds, rubies or common stone.1 But they say that they were
each ten or twelve cubits long; for they suppose that not only the ten
commandments but the whole law was written thereon: and some add that the
letters were cut quite through the tables, so that they might be read on both
sides2-which is a fable of the Jews.
l That is, a perfect law comprehending all necessary instructions, as
well in regard to religious and moral duties, as the administration of
justice.
m viz., The desolate habitations of the Egyptians, or those of the
impious tribes of Ad and Thamûd, or perhaps hell, the dwelling of the ungodly
in the other world.
n That is, as some understand it, consisting of flesh and blood; or, as
others, being a mere body or mass of metal, without a soul.3
o Such as their rings and bracelets of gold and silver.4
p See chapter 20, and the notes to chapter 2, p. 6.
q Father Marracci seems not to have understood the meaning of this
phrase, having literally translated the Arabic words, wa lamma sokita fi
eidîhim, without any manner of sense, Et cum cadere factus fuisset in manibus
eorum.

6 Al Beidâwi. Vide D'Herbel. Bibl. Orient. p. 650. 1 Al
Beidâwi. 2 Vide D'Herbel. ubi sup. 3 Al Beidâwi. See cap.
20, and the notes to cap. 2, p. 6. 4 Vide ibid.


And when Moses returned unto his people, full of wrath and indignation,
he said, An evil thing is it that ye have committed after my departure; have
ye hastened the command of your LORD?r And he threw down the tables,s and
took his brother by the hair of the head, and dragged him unto him. And Aaron
said unto him, Son of my mother, verily the people prevailed against me,t and
it wanted little but they had slain me: make not my enemies therefore to
rejoice over me, neither place me with the wicked people.
150 Moses said, O LORD, forgive me and my brother, and receive us into thy
mercy; for thou art the most merciful of those who exercise mercy.
Verily as for them who took the calf for their god, indignation shall
overtake them from their LORD,u and ignominy in this life: thus will we reward
those who imagine falsehood.
But unto them who do evil, and afterwards repent, and believe in God,
verily thy LORD will thereafter be clement and merciful.
And when the anger of Moses was appeased, he took the tables;x and in
what was written thereon was a direction and mercy, unto those who feared
their LORD.
And Moses chose out of his people seventy men, to go up with him to the
mountain at the time appointed by us: and when a storm of thunder and
lightning had taken them away,y he said, O LORD, if thou hadst pleased, thou
hadst destroyed them before, and me also; wilt thou destroy us for that which
the foolish men among us have committed? This is only thy trial; thou wilt
thereby lead into error whom thou pleasest, and thou wilt direct whom thou
pleasest. Thou art our protector, therefore forgive us, and be merciful unto
us; for thou art the best of those who forgive.
And write down for us good in this world, and in the life to come; for
unto thee are we directed. God answered, I will inflict my punishment on whom
I please; and my mercy extendeth over all things; and I will write down good
unto those who shall fear me, and give alms, and who shall believe in our
signs;
who shall follow the apostle, the illiterate prophet,z whom they shall
find written downa with them in the law and the gospel: he will command them
that which is just, and will forbid them that which is evil; and will allow
them as lawful the good things which were before forbidden,b and will prohibit
those which are bad;c and he will ease them of their heavy burden, and of the
yokes which were upon them.d And those who believe in him, and honour him,
and assist him, and follow the light, which hath been sent down with him,
shall be happy.
Say, O men, Verily I am the messenger of GOD unto you all:e
unto him belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth; there is no GOD but
he: he giveth life, and he causeth to die. Believe therefore in GOD and his
apostle, the illiterate prophet, who believeth in GOD and his word; and follow
him, that ye may be rightly directed.