Books: The Koran

U >> Unknown >> The Koran

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93

1 Vide Reland. de Jure Militari Mohammedanor. p. 17 and 50.
2 Al Beidâwi. 3 See cap. 2, p. 28.
4 Al Beidâwi, al Zamakhshari, &c. 5 Connect. part i. l. 5, p. 329.
6 Athanasius junior, in Synopsi S. Script. tom. ii. p. 86. Leontius
Byzantin. de Sectis, p. 428. 7 Cap. xiv. 20, &c. 8 Loco
citat. 9 See 2 Esdras ii. 43-47; and vii. 28, &c. 10
Vide Dodwelli Dissert. Cyprian. Dissert. 4, § 2. Whiston's Essay on the
Apostolical Constit. p. 34, 76, and 304, &c.; et Fabricii Codic. Apocryph.
Novi Test. part ii. p. 936, &c.

Moreover, the complete number of months with GOD, is twelve months,g
which were ordained in the book of GOD,h on the day whereon he created the
heavens and the earth: of these, four are sacred.i This is the right
religion: therefore deal not unjustly with yourselves therein. But attack the
idolaters in all the months, as they attack you in all;k and know that GOD is
with those who fear him.
Verily the transferring of a sacred month to another month, is an
additional infidelity.l The unbelievers are led into an error thereby: they
allow a month to be violated one year, and declare it sacred another year,m
that they may agree in the number of months which GOD hath commanded to be
kept sacred; and they allow that which GOD hath forbidden. The evil of their
actions hath been prepared for them: for GOD directeth not the unbelieving
people.
O true believers, what ailed you, that when it was said unto you, Go
forth to fight for the religion of GOD, ye inclined heavily towards the
earth?n Do ye prefer the present life to that which is to come? But the
provision of this life, in respect of that which is to come, is but slender.
Unless ye go forth when ye are summoned to war, God will punish you with
a grievous punishment; and he will place another people in your stead,o and ye
shall not hurt him at all; for GOD is almighty.
40 If ye assist not the prophet, verily GOD will assist him, as he assisted
him formerly, when the unbelievers drove him out of Mecca, the second of two:p
when they were both in the cave: when he said unto his companion, Be not
grieved, for GOD is with us.q And GOD sent down his securityr upon him, and
strengthened him with armies of angels, whom ye saw not.s And he made the
word of those who believed not to be abased, and the word of GOD was exalted:
for GOD is mighty and wise.

g According to this passage, the intercalation of a month every third
or second year, which the Arabs had learned of the Jews, in order to reduce
their lunar years to solar years, is absolutely unlawful. For by this means
they fixed the time of the pilgrimage and of the fast of Ramadân to certain
seasons of the year which ought to be ambulatory.1
h viz., The preserved table.
i See the Prelim. Discourse, Sect. VII.
k For it is not reasonable that you should observe the sacred months
with regard to those who do not acknowledge them to be sacred, but make war
against you therein.2
l This was an invention or innovation of the idolatrous Arabs, whereby
they avoided keeping a sacred month, when it suited not their conveniency, by
keeping a profane month in its stead; transferring, for example, the
observance of Moharram to the succeeding month Safar. The first man who put
this in practice, they say, was Jonâda Ebn Awf, of the tribe of Kenâna.3
These ordinances relating to the months were promulgated by Mohammed
himself at the pilgrimage of valediction.4
m As did Jonâda, who made public proclamation at the assembly of
pilgrims, that their gods had allowed Moharram to be profane, whereupon they
observed it not; but the next year he told them that the gods had ordered it
to be kept sacred.5
n viz., In the expedition of Tabûc, a town situate about half-way
between Medina and Damascus, which Mohammed undertook against the Greeks, with
an army of thirty thousand men, in the ninth year of the Hejra. On this
expedition the Moslems set out with great unwillingness, because it was
undertaken in the midst of the summer heats, and at a time of great drought
and scarcity; whereby the soldiers suffered so much, that this army was called
the distressed army: besides, their fruits were just ripe, and they had much
rather have stayed to have gathered them.6
o See chap. 5, p. 80.
p That is, having only Abu Becr with him.
q See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. II. p. 39.
r See before, p. 137, note u.
s Who, as some imagine, guarded him in the cave. Or the words may
relate to the succours from heaven which Mohammed pretended to have received
in several encounters; as at Bedr, the war of the ditch, and the battle of
Honein.

1 See Prid. Life of Mahomet, p. 65, &c., and the Prelim. Disc. Sect.
IV. and VII. 2 See cap. 2, p. 20. 3 Al Beidâwi,
Jallalo'ddin. Vide Poc. Spec. p. 323, and the Prelim. Disc. Sect. VII.
4 Abulfeda, Vit. Moh. p. 132. 5 Al Beidâwi.
6 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. Vide Abulfeda, Vit. Moh. p. 123.

Go forth to battle, both light and heavy,t and employ your substance and
your persons for the advancement of GOD's religion. This will be better for
you, if ye know it.
If it had been a near advantage, and a moderate journey, they had surely
followed thee;u but the way seemed tedious unto them: and yet they will swear
by GOD, saying, If we had been able, we had surely gone forth with you. They
destroy their own souls; for GOD knoweth that they are liars.
GOD forgive thee! why didst thou give them leave to stay at home,x until
they who speak the truth, when they excuse themselves, had become manifested
unto thee, and thou hadst known the liars.
They who believe in GOD and the last day, will not ask leave of thee to
be excused from employing their substance and their persons for the
advancement of GOD's true religion; and GOD knoweth those who fear him.
Verily they only will ask leave of thee to stay behind, who believe not
in GOD and the last day, and whose hearts doubt concerning the faith:
wherefore they are tossed to and fro in their doubting.
If they had been willing to go forth with thee, they had certainly
prepared for that purpose a provision of arms and necessaries: but GOD was
averse to their going forth; wherefore he rendered them slothful, and it was
said unto them, Sit ye still with those who sit still.y
If they had gone forth with you, they had only been a burden unto you,
and had run to and fro between you, stirring you up to sedition; and there
would have been some among you, who would have given ear unto them: and GOD
knoweth the wicked.
They formerly sought to raise a sedition,z and they disturbed thy
affairs, until the truth came, and the decree of GOD was made manifest;
although they were adverse thereto.
There is of them who saith unto thee, Give me leave to stay behind, and
expose me not to temptation.a Have they not fallen into temptation at home?b
But hell will surely encompass the unbelievers.
50 If good happen unto thee, it grieveth them: but if a misfortune befall
thee, they say, We ordered our business before;c and they turn their backs,
and rejoice at thy mishap.
Say, Nothing shall befall us, but what GOD hath decreed for us; he is our
patron; and on GOD let the faithful trust.

t i.e., Whether the expedition be agreeable or not; or whether ye have
sufficient arms and provisions or not; or whether ye be on horseback or on
foot, &c.
u That is, had there been no difficulties to surmount in the expedition
of Tabûc, and the march thither had been short and easy, so that the plunder
might have cost them little or no trouble, they would not have been so
backward.
x For Mohammed excused several of his men, on their request, from going
on this expedition; as Abda'llah Ebn Obba and his hypocritical adherents, and
also three of the Ansârs, for which he is here reprehended.
y i.e., With the women and children, and other impotent people.
z As they did at the battle of Ohod.1
a By obliging me to go, against my will, on an expedition, the
hardships of which may tempt me to rebel or to desert. It is related that one
Jadd Ebn Kais said that the Ansârs well knew he was much given to women, and
he dared not trust himself with the Greek girls; wherefore he desired he might
be left behind, and he would assist them with his purse.2
b Discovering their hypocrisy by their backwardness to go to war for
the promotion of the true religion.
c That is, we took care to keep out of harm's way by staying at home.

1 See cap. 3, p. 45, &c. 2 Al Beidâwi.

Say, Do ye expect any other should befall us, than one of the two most
excellent things; either victory or martyrdom? But we expect concerning you,
that GOD inflict a punishment on you, either from himself, or by our hands.d
Wait, therefore, to see what will be the end of both; for we will wait for
you.
Say, Expend your money in pious uses, either voluntarily, or by
constraint, it shall not be accepted of you; because ye are wicked people.
And nothing hindereth their contributions from being accepted of them,
but that they believe not in GOD and his apostle, and perform not the duty of
prayer, otherwise than sluggishly; and expend not their money for God's
service, otherwise than unwillingly.
Let not therefore their riches, or their children cause thee to marvel.
Verily GOD intendeth only to punish them by these things in this world; and
that their souls may depart while they are unbelievers.
They swear by GOD that they are of you;e yet they are not of you, but are
people who stand in fear.f
If they find a place of refuge, or caves, or a retreating hole, they
surely turn towards the same, and in a headstrong manner, haste thereto.
There is of them also who spreadeth ill reports of thee, in relation to
thy distribution of the alms: yet if they receive part thereof, they are well
pleased; but if they receive not a part thereof, behold, they are angry.g
But if they had been pleased with that which GOD and his apostle had
given them, and had said, GOD is our support; GOD will give unto us of his
abundance, and his prophet also; verily unto GOD do we make our supplications:
it would have been more decent.
60 Alms are to be distributedh only unto the poor, and the needy,i and
those who are employed in collecting and distributing the same, and unto those
whose hearts are reconciled,k and for the redemption of captives, and unto
those who are in debt and insolvent, and for the advancement of GOD'S
religion, and unto the traveller. This is an ordinance from GOD: and GOD is
knowing and wise.
There are some of them who injure the prophet, and say, He is an ear.l
Answer, He is an ear of good unto you:m he believeth in GOD, and giveth credit
to the faithful, and is a mercy unto such of you who believe.

d i.e., Either by some signal judgment from heaven, or by remitting
their punishment to the true believers.
e viz., Staunch Moslems.
f Hypocritically concealing their infidelity, lest ye should chastise
them, as ye have done the professed infidels and apostates; and yet ready to
avow their infidelity, when they think they may do it with safety.
g This person was Abu'l Jowâdh the hypocrite, who said Mohammed gave
them away among the keepers of sheep only; or, as others suppose, Ebn
Dhi'lkhowaisara, who found fault with the prophet's distribution of the spoils
taken at Honein, because he gave them all among the Meccans, to reconcile and
gain them over to his religion and interest.3
h See what is said as to this point in the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV.
i The commentators make a distinction between these two words in the
original, fakîr and meskîn; one, they say, signifies him who is utterly
destitute both of money and means of livelihood; the other, one who is in want
indeed, but is able to get something towards his own support. But to which of
the two words either of these different significations properly belongs, the
critics differ.
k That is, who were lately enemies to the faithful, but have now
embraced Mohammedism, and entered into amity with them. For Mohammed, to gain
their hearts and confirm them in his religion, made large presents to the
chief of the Koreish out of the spoils at Honein, as has been just now
mentioned.4 But this law they say became of no obligation when the Mohammedan
faith was established, and stood not in need of such methods for its support.
l i.e., He hears everything that we say; and gives credit to all the
stories that are carried to him.
m Giving credit to nothing that may do you hurt.

3 Idem. Vide Abulfeda. Vit. Moh. p. 118, 119. 4 Abulfeda,
ibid.

But they who injure the apostle of GOD, shall suffer a painful
punishment.
They swear unto you by GOD, that they may please you; but it is more just
that they should please GOD and his apostle, if they are true believers.
Do they not know that he who opposeth GOD and his apostle, shall without
doubt be punished with the fire of hell; and shall remain therein forever?
This will be great ignominy.
The hypocrites are apprehensive lest a Suran should be revealed
concerning them, to declare unto them that which is in their hearts. Say unto
them, Scoff ye; but GOD will surely bring to light that which ye fear should
be discovered.
And if thou ask them the reason of this scoffing, they say, Verily we
were only engaged in discourse; and jesting among ourselves.o Say, Do ye
scoff at GOD and his signs, and at his apostle?
offer not an excuse: now are ye become infidels, after your faith. If we
forgive a part of you, we will punish a part, for that they have been wicked
doers.
Hypocritical men and women are the one of them of the other: they command
that which is evil, and forbid that which is just, and shut their hands from
giving alms. They have forgotten GOD; wherefore he hath forgotten them:
verily the hypocrites are those who act wickedly.
GOD denounceth unto the hypocrites, both men and women, and to the
unbelievers, the fire of hell; they shall remain therein forever: this will be
their sufficient reward; GOD hath cursed them, and they shall endure a lasting
torment.
70 As they who have been before you, so are ye. They were superior to you
in strength, and had more abundance of wealth and of children; and they
enjoyed their portion in this world; and ye also enjoy your portion here, as
they who have preceded you enjoyed their portion. And ye engage yourselves in
vain discourses, like unto those wherein they engaged themselves. The works
of these are vain both in this world and in that which is to come; and these
are they who perish.
Have they not been acquainted with the history of those who have been
before them? of the people of Noah, and of Ad, and of Thamud, and of the
people of Abraham, and of the inhabitants of Madian, and of the cities which
were overthrown?p Their apostles came unto them with evident demonstrations:
and GOD was not disposed to treat them unjustly; but they dealt unjustly with
their own souls.
And the faithful men, and the faithful women, are friends one to another:
they command that which is just, and they forbid that which is evil; and they
are constant at prayer, and pay their appointed alms; and they obey GOD and
his apostle: unto these will GOD be merciful; for he is mighty and wise.

n So the Mohammedans call a chapter of the Korân.5
o It is related that in the expedition of Tabûc, a company of
hypocrites passing near Mohammed, said to one another, Behold that man! he
would take the strongholds of Syria. Away! away!-which being told the
prophet, he called them to him, and asked them why they had said so? Whereto
they replied with an oath that they were not talking of what related to him or
his companions, but were only diverting themselves with indifferent discourse
to beguile the tediousness of the way.6
p Namely, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the other cities which shared their
fate, and are thence called al Motakifât, or the subverted.7

5 See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. III. 6 Al Beidâwi. 7 See
cap. II.

GOD promiseth unto the true believers, both men and women, gardens
through which rivers flow, wherein they shall remain forever; and delicious
dwellings in gardens of perpetual abode:q but good-will from GOD shall be
their most excellent reward. This will be great felicity.
O prophet, wage war against the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and be
severe unto them: for their dwelling shall be hell; an unhappy journey shall
it be thither!
They swear by GOD that they said not what they are charged with: yet they
spake the word of infidelity, and became unbelievers after they had embraced
Islâm.r And they designed that which they could not effect;s and they did not
disapprove the design for any other reason than because GOD and his apostle
had enriched them of his bounty.t If they repent, it will be better for them;
but if they relapse, GOD will punish them with a grievous torment, in this
world and in the next; and they shall have no portion on earth, nor any
protector.
There are some of them who made a covenant with GOD, saying, Verily if he
give us of his abundance, we will give alms, and become righteous people.u
Yet when they had given unto him of his abundance, they became covetous
thereof, and turned back, and retired afar off.
Wherefore he hath caused hypocrisy to succeed in their hearts, until the
day whereon they shall meet him; for that they failed to perform unto GOD that
which they had promised him, and for that they prevaricated.
Do they not know that GOD knoweth whatever they conceal, and their
private discourses; and that GOD is the knower of secrets?

q Literally, gardens of Eden; but the commentators do not take the word
Eden in the sense which it bears in Hebrew, as has been elsewhere observed.8
r It is related that al Jallâs Ebn Soweid hearing some passages of this
chapter, which sharply reprehend those who refused to go on the above-
mentioned expedition of Tabûc, declared that if what Mohammed said of his
brethren was true, they were worse than asses; which coming to the prophet's
ear, he sent for him; and he denied the words upon oath. But on the immediate
revelation of this passage, he confessed his fault, and his repentance was
accepted.9
s The commentators tell us that fifteen men conspired to kill Mohammed
in his return from Tabûc by pushing him from his camel into a precipice, as he
rode by night over the highest part of al Akaba. But when they were going to
execute their design, Hodheifa, who followed and drove the prophet's camel,
which was led by Ammâr Ebn Yâser, hearing the tread of camels and the clashing
of arms, gave the alarm, upon which they fled. Some, however, suppose the
design here meant was a plot to expel Mohammed from Medina.10
t For Mohammed's residing at Medina was of great advantage to the
place, the inhabitants being generally poor, and in want of most conveniences
of life; but on the prophet's coming among them, they became possessed of
large herds of cattle and money also. Al Beidâwi says that the above-named al
Jallâs in particular, having a servant killed, received by Mohammed's order no
less than ten thousand dirhems, or about three hundred pounds, as a fine for
the redemption of his blood.
u An instance of this is given in Thalaba Ebn Hateb, who came to
Mohammed and desired him to beg of GOD that he would bestow riches on him.
The prophet at first advised him rather to be thankful for the little he had
than to covet more, which might become a temptation to him; but on Thalaba's
repeated request and solemn promise that he would make a good use of his
riches, he was at length prevailed on, and preferred the petition to GOD.
Thalaba in a short time grew vastly rich, which, Mohammed being acquainted
with, sent two collectors to gather the alms. Other people readily paid them;
but, when they came to Thalaba, and read the injunction to him out of the
Korân, he told them that it was not alms, but tribute, or next kin to tribute,
and bid them go back till he had better considered of it. Upon which this
passage was revealed; and when Thalaba came afterwards and brought his alms,
Mohammed told him that GOD had commanded him not to accept it, and threw dust
upon his head, saying, This is what thou hast deserved. He then offered his
alms to Abu Becr, who refused to accept them, as did Omar some years after,
when he was Khalîf.1

8 See the Prelim. Disc. p. 75. 9 Al Beidâwi. 10
Idem. 1 Idem.

80 They who traduce such of the believers as are liberal in giving alms
beyond what they are obliged, and those who find nothing to give, but what
they gain by their industry;x and therefore scoff at them: GOD shall scoff at
them, and they shall suffer a grievous punishment.
Ask forgiveness for them, or do not ask forgiveness for them; it will be
equal. If thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times, GOD will by no means
forgive them.y This is the divine pleasure, for that they believe not in GOD,
and his apostle; and GOD directeth not the ungodly people.
They who were left at home in the expedition of Tabûc, were glad of their
staying behind the apostle of GOD, and were unwilling to employ their
substance and their persons for the advancement of GOD's true religion; and
they said, Go not forth in the heat.z Say, the fire of hell will be hotter;
if they understood this.
Wherefore let them laugh little, and weep much, as a reward for that
which they have done.
If GOD bring thee back unto some of them,a and they ask thee leave to go
forth to war with thee, say, Ye shall not go forth with me for the future,
neither shall ye fight an enemy with me; ye were pleased with sitting at home
the first time; sit ye at home therefore with those who stay behind.
Neither do thou ever pray over any of them who shall die,b neither stand
at his gravec for that they believed not in GOD and his apostle, and die in
their wickedness.
Let not their riches or their children cause thee to marvel: for GOD
intendeth only to punish them therewith in this world, and that their souls
may depart, while they are infidels.
When a Surad is sent down, wherein it is said, Believe in GOD, and go
forth to war with his apostle; those who are in plentiful circumstances among
them ask leave of thee to stay behind, and say, Suffer us to be of the number
of those who sit at home.
They are well pleased to be with those who stay behind, and their hearts
are sealed up; wherefore they do not understand.

x Al Beidâwi relates that Mohammed, exhorting his followers to
voluntary alms, among others, Abda'lrahmân Ebn Awf gave four thousand dirhems,
which was one-half of what he had; Asem Ebn Adda gave a hundred beasts' loads
of dates; and Abu Okail a saá, which is no more than a sixtieth part of a
load, of the same fruit, but was the half of what he had earned by a night's
hard work. This Mohammed accepted: whereupon the hypocrites said that
Abda'lrahmân and Asem gave what they did out of ostentation, and that GOD and
his apostle might well have excused Abu Okail's mite; which occasioned this
passage.
I suppose this collection was made to defray the charge of the
expedition of Tabûc, towards which, as another writer tells us, Abu Becr
contributed all that he had, and Othmân very largely, viz., as it is said,
three hundred camels for slaughter, and a thousand dinârs of gold.2
y In the last sickness of Abda'llah Ebn Obba, the hypocrite (who died
in the ninth year of the Hejra), his son, named also Abda'llah, came and asked
Mohammed to beg pardon of GOD for him, which he did, and thereupon the former
part of this verse was revealed. But the prophet, not taking that for a
repulse, said he would pray seventy times for him; upon which the latter part
of the verse was revealed, declaring it would be absolutely in vain. It may
be observed that the numbers seven, and seventy, and seven hundred, are
frequently used by the eastern writers, to signify not so many precisely, but
only an indefinite number, either greater or lesser,3 several examples of
which are to be met with in the scripture.4
z This they spoke in a scoffing manner to one another, because, as has
been observed, the expedition of Tabûc was undertaken in a very hot and dry
season.
a That is, if thou return in safety to Medina to the hypocrites, who
are here called some of them who stayed behind, because they were not all
hypocrites. The whole number is said to have been twelve.1
b This passage was also revealed on account of Abda'llah Ebn Obba. In
his last illness he desired to see Mohammed, and, when he was come, asked him
to beg forgiveness of GOD for him, and requested that his corpse might be
wrapped up in the garment that was next his body (which might have the same
efficacy with the habit of a Franciscan), and that he would pray over him when
dead. Accordingly, when he was dead, the prophet sent his shirt, or inner
vestment, to shroud the corpse, and was going to pray over it, but was
forbidden by these words. Some say they were not revealed till he had
actually prayed for him.2
c Either by assisting at his funeral, or visiting his sepulchre.
d See before, p. 142, note n.