B.W. Matz - "The Inns and Taverns of Pickwick"

George Barr McCutcheon - "The Prince of Graustark"

Laurence Hope et al - "India's Love Lyrics"

Anna Katharine Green - "Initials Only"

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Books: The Koran

U >> Unknown >> The Koran




5 Vide Golii not. in Alfragan. p. 175, &c. Kircher. Oedip. Ægypt vol.
i. p. 8. Lucas, Voy. tom. ii. p. 205, and tom. iii. p. 53.
1 Al Beidâwi. 2 Idem.


And when they entered the city, as their father had commanded them, it
was of no advantage unto them against the decree of GOD; and the same served
only to satisfy the desire of Jacob's soul, which he had charged them to
perform: for he was endued with knowledge of that which we had taught him; but
the greater part of men do not understand.
And when they entered into the presence of Joseph, he received his
brother Benjamin as his guest, and said, Verily I am thy brother,n be not
therefore afflicted for that which they have committed against us.
70 And when he had furnished them with their provisions, he put his cupo in
his brother Benjamin's sack. Then a crier cried after them, saying, O company
of travellers, ye are surely thieves.
They said, (and turned back unto them,) What is it that ye miss?
They answered, We miss the prince's cup: and unto him who shall produce
it, shall be given a camel's load of corn, and I will be surety for the same.
Joseph's brethren replied, By GOD, ye do well know, that we come not to
act corruptly in the land,p neither are we thieves.
The Egyptians said, What shall be the reward of him, who shall appear to
have stolen the cup, if ye be found liars?
Joseph's brethren answered, As to the reward of him, in whose sack it
shall be found, let him become a bondman in satisfaction of the same: thus do
we reward the unjust, who are guilty of theft.q
Then he began by their sacks, before he searched the sack of his
brother;r and he drew out the cup from his brother's sack. Thus did we
furnish Joseph with a stratagem. It was not lawful for him to take his
brother for a bondman, by the law of the king of Egypt,s had not GOD pleased
to allow it, according to the offer of his brethren. We exalt to degrees of
knowledge and honour whom we please: and there is one who is knowing above all
those who are endued with knowledge.
His brethren said, If Benjamin be guilty of theft, his brother Joseph
hath been also guilty of theft heretofore.t But Joseph concealed these things
in his mind, and did not discover them unto them: and he said within himself,
Ye are in a worse condition than us two; and GOD best knoweth what ye
discourse about.

n It is related that Joseph, having invited his brethren to an
entertainment, ordered them to be placed two and two together, by which means
Benjamin, the eleventh, was obliged to sit alone, and bursting into tears,
said, If my brother Joseph were alive, he would have sat with me. Whereupon
Joseph ordered him to be seated at the same table with himself, and when the
entertainment was over, dismissed the rest, ordering that they should be
lodged two and two in a house, but kept Benjamin in his own apartment, where
he passed the night. The next day Joseph asked him whether he would accept of
himself for his brother, in the room of him whom he had lost, to which
Benjamin replied, Who can find a brother comparable unto thee? yet thou art
not the son of Jacob and Rachel. And upon this Joseph discovered himself to
him.1
o Some imagine this to be a measure holding a saá (or about a gallon),
wherein they used to measure corn or give water to the beasts. But others
take it to be a drinking-cup of silver or gold.
p Both by our behaviour among you, and our bringing again our money,
which was returned to us without our knowledge.
q This was the method of punishing theft used by Jacob and his family;
for among the Egyptians it was punished in another manner.
r Some suppose this search was made by the person whom Joseph sent
after them; others by Joseph himself, when they were brought back to the city.
s For there the thief was not reduced to servitude, but was scourged,
and obliged to restore the double of what he had stolen.2
t The occasion of this suspicion, it is said, was, that Joseph having
been brought up by his father's sister, she became so fond of him that, when
he grew up, and Jacob designed to take him from her, she contrived the
following stratagem to keep him: -Having a girdle which had once belonged to
Abraham, she girt it about the child, and then, pretending she had lost it,
caused strict search to be made for it; and it being at length found on
Joseph, he was adjudged, according to the above-mentioned law of the family,
to be delivered to her as her property. Some, however, say that Joseph
actually stole an idol of gold, which belonged to his mother's father, and
destroyed it; a story probably taken from Rachel's stealing the images of
Laban: and others tell us that he once stole a goat, or a hen, to give to a
poor man.3

1 Al Beidâwi. 2 Idem, Jallalo'ddin.


They said unto Joseph, Noble lord, verily this lad hath an aged father;
wherefore take one of us in his stead; for we perceive that thou art a
beneficent person.
Joseph answered, GOD forbid that we should take any other than him with
whom we found our goods; for then should we certainly be unjust.
80 And when they despaired of obtaining Benjamin, they retired to confer
privately together. And the elder of themu said, Do ye not know that your
father hath received a solemn promise from you, in the name of GOD, and how
perfidiously ye behaved heretofore towards Joseph? Wherefore I will by no
means depart the land of Egypt, until my father give me leave to return unto
him, or GOD maketh known his will to me; for he is the best judge.
Return ye to your father, and say, O father, verily thy son hath
committed theft; we bear witness of no more than what we know, and we could
not guard against what we did not foresee:
and do thou inquire in the city, where we have been, and of the company
of merchants, with whom we are arrived, and thou wilt find that we speak the
truth.
And when they were returned, and had spoken thus to their father, he
said, Nay, but rather ye yourselves have contrived the thing for your own
sakes, but patience is most proper for me; peradventure GOD will restore them
allx unto me; for he is knowing and wise.
And he turned from them and said, Oh how I am grieved for Joseph! And
his eyes became white with mourning,y he being oppressed with deep sorrow.
His sons said, By GOD, thou wilt not cease to remember Joseph until thou
be brought to death's door, or thou be actually destroyed by excessive
affliction.
He answered, I only represent my grief, which I am not able to contain,
and my sorrow unto GOD, but I know by revelation from GOD that which ye know
not.z
O my sons, go and make inquiry after Joseph and his brother; and despair
not of the mercy of GOD; for none despaireth of GOD's mercy, except the
unbelieving people.
Wherefore Joseph's brethren returned into Egypt: and when they came into
his presence, they said, Noble lord, the famine is felt by us and our family,
and we are come with a small sum of money:a yet give unto us full measure, and
bestow corn upon us as alms; for GOD rewardeth the almsgivers.

u viz., Reuben. But some think Simeon or Judah to be here meant; and
instead of the elder, interpret it the most prudent of them.
x i.e., Joseph, Benjamin, and Simeon.
y That is, the pupils lost their deep blackness and became of a pearl
colour (as happens in suffusions), by his continual weeping: which very much
weakened his sight, or, as some pretend, made him quite blind.4
z viz., That Joseph is yet alive, of which some tell us he was assured
by the angel of death in a dream; though others suppose he depended on the
completion of Joseph's dream, which must have been frustrated had he died
before his brethren had bowed down before him.5
a Their money being clipped and adulterated. Some, however, imagine
they did not bring money, but goods to barter, such as wool and butter, or
other commodities of small value.6

3 Jallalo'ddin. 4 Al Beidâwi. 5 Idem.
6 Idem.


Joseph said unto them, Do ye know what ye did unto Joseph and his
brother, when ye were ignorant of the consequences thereof?b
90 They answered, Art thou really Joseph?c He replied, I am Joseph; and
this is my brother. Now hath GOD been gracious unto us. For whoso feareth
God, and persevereth with patience, shall at length find relief; since GOD
will not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish.
They said, By GOD, now hath GOD chosen thee above us; and we have surely
been sinners.
Joseph answered, Let there be no reproach cast on you this day. GOD
forgiveth you; for he is the most merciful of those who show mercy.
Depart ye with this my inner garment,d and throw it on my father's face;
and he shall recover his sight: and then come unto me with all your family.
And when the company of travellers was departed from Egypt on their
journey towards Canaan, their father said, unto those who were about him,
Verily I perceive the smell of Joseph;e although ye think that I dote.
They answered, By GOD, thou art in thy old mistake.f
But when the messenger of good tidingsg was come with Joseph's inner
garment, he threw it over his face; and he recovered his eyesight.
And Jacob said, Did I not tell you that I knew from GOD, that which ye
knew not?
They answered, O father, ask pardon of our sins for us, for we have
surely been sinners.
He replied, I will surely ask pardon for you of my LORD;h for he is
gracious and merciful.
100 And when Jacob and his family arrived in Egypt, and were introduced unto
Joseph, he received his parents unto him,i and said, Enter ye into Egypt, by
GOD'S favor, in full security.

b The injury they did Benjamin was the separating him from his brother;
after which they kept him in so great subjection, that he durst not speak to
them but with the utmost submission. Some say that these words were
occasioned by a letter which Joseph's brethren delivered to him from their
father, requesting the releasement of Benjamin, and by their representing his
extreme affliction at the loss of him and his brother. The commentators
observe that Joseph, to excuse his brethren's behaviour towards him,
attributes it to their ignorance, and the heat of youth.1
c They say this question was not the effect of a bare suspicion that he
was Joseph, but that they actually knew him, either by his face and behaviour,
or by his foreteeth, which he showed in smiling, or else by putting off his
tiara, and discovering a whitish mole on his forehead.2
d Which the commentators generally suppose to be the same garment with
which Gabriel invested him in the well; which having originally come from
paradise, had preserved the odour of that place, and was of so great virtue as
to cure any distemper in the person who was touched with it.3
e This was the odour of the garment above mentioned, brought by the
wind to Jacob, who smelt it, as is pretended, at the distance of eighty
parasangs;4 or, as others will have, three, or eight days' journey off.5
f Being led into this imagination by the excessive love of Joseph.
g viz., Judah, who, as he had formerly grieved his father by bringing
him Joseph's coat stained with blood, now rejoiced him as much by being the
bearer of this vest, and the news of Joseph's prosperity.6
h Deferring it, as some fancy, till he should see Joseph, and have his
consent.
i viz., His father and Leah, his mother's sister, whom he looked on as
his mother after Rachel's death.7
Al Beidâwi tells us that Joseph sent carriages and provisions for his
father and his family; and that he and the king of Egypt went forth to meet
them. He adds that the number of the children of Israel who entered Egypt
with him was seventy-two; and that when they were led out thence by Moses,
they were increased to six hundred thousand five hundred and seventy men and
upwards, besides the old people and children.

1 Idem. 2 Idem. 3 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. 4
Idem. 5 Jallalo'ddin.
6 Al Beidâwi. 7 Idem. See Gen. xxxvii. 10.


And he raised his parents to the seat of state, and they, together with his
brethren, fell down and did obeisance unto him.k And he said, O my father,
this is the interpretation of my vision, which I saw heretofore: now hath my
LORD rendered it true. And he hath surely been gracious unto me, since he
took me forth from the prison, and hath brought you hither from the desert;
after that the devil had sown discord between me any my brethren: for my LORD
is gracious unto whom he pleaseth; and he is the knowing, the wise God.
O LORD, thou hast given me a part of the kingdom, and hast taught me the
interpretation of dark sayings. The Creator of heaven and earth! thou art my
protector in this world, and in that which is to come: make me to die a
Moslem, and join me with the righteous.l
This is a secret history which we reveal unto thee, O Mohammed, although
thou wast not present with the brethren of Joseph, when they concerted their
design, and contrived a plot against him. But the greater part of men,
although they earnestly desire it, will not believe.
Thou shalt not demand of them any reward for thy publishing the Koran; it
is no other than an admonition unto all creatures.
And how many signs soever there be of the being, unity, and providence of
God, in the heavens and the earth; they will pass by them, and will retire
afar off from them.
And the greater part of them believe not in GOD, without being also
guilty of idolatry.m
Do they not believe that some overwhelming affliction shall fall on them,
as a punishment from GOD; or that the hour of judgment shall overtake them
suddenly, when they consider not its approach?
Say unto those of Mecca, This is my way: I invite you unto GOD, by an
evident demonstration; both I and he who followeth me; and, praise be unto
GOD! I am not an idolater.
We sent not any apostles before thee, except men, unto whom we revealed
our will, and whom we chose out of those who dwelt in cities.n Will they not
go through the earth, and see what hath been the end of those who have
preceded them? But the dwelling of the next life shall surely be better for
those who fear God. Will they not therefore understand?
110 Their predecessors were borne with for a time, until, when our apostles
despaired of their conversion, and they thought that they were liars, our help
came unto them, and we delivered whom we pleased; but our vengeance was not
turned away from the wicked people.
Verily in the histories of the prophets and their people, there is an
instructive example unto those who are endued with understanding. The Koran
is not a new invented fiction: but a confirmation of those scriptures which
have been revealed before it, and a distinct explication of everything
necessary in respect either to faith or practice, and a direction and mercy
unto people who believe.

k A transposition is supposed to be in these words, and that he seated
his father and mother after they had bowed down to him, and not before.1
l The Mohammedan authors write that Jacob dwelt in Egypt twenty-four
years, and at his death ordered his body to be buried in Palestine by his
father, which Joseph took care to perform; and then returning into Egypt, died
twenty-three years after. They add that such high disputes arose among the
Egyptians concerning his burial, that they had like to have come to blows; but
at length they agreed to put his body into a marble coffin, and to sink it in
the Nile-out of a superstitious imagination, that it might help the regular
increase of the river, and deliver them from famine for the future; but when
Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, he took up the coffin, and carried
Joseph's bones with him into Canaan, where he buried them by his ancestors.2
m For this crime Mohammed charges not only on the idolatrous Meccans,
but also on the Jews and Christians, as has been already observed more than
once.
n And not of the inhabitants of the deserts; because the former are
more knowing and compassionate, and the latter more ignorant and hard-
hearted.3

1 Idem. 2 Idem. 3 Idem. See the Prelim. Disc.
Sect. I. p. 24.




CHAPTER XIII.

ENTITLED, THUNDER;o REVEALED AT MECCA.p

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

AL. M. R.q These are the signs of the book of the Koran: and that which
hath been sent down unto thee from thy LORD is the truth; but the greater part
of men will not believe.
It is GOD who hath raised the heavens without visible pillars; and then
ascended his throne, and compelled the sun and the moon to perform their
services; every of the heavenly bodies runneth an appointed course. He
ordereth all things. He showeth his signs distinctly, that ye may be assured
ye must meet your LORD at the last day.
It is he who hath stretched forth the earth, and placed therein steadfast
mountains, and rivers; and hath ordained therein of every fruit two different
kinds.r He causeth the night to cover the day. Herein are certain signs unto
people who consider.
And in the earth are tracts of land of different natures,s though
bordering on each other; and also vineyards, and seeds, and palm-trees
springing several from the same root, and singly from distinct roots. They
are watered with the same water, yet we render some of them more excellent
than others to eat. Herein are surely signs unto people who understand.
If thou dost wonder at the infidels denying the resurrection, surely
wonderful is their saying, After we shall have been reduced to dust, shall we
be restored in a new creature?
These are they who believe not in their LORD: these shall have collars on
their necks,t and these shall be the inhabitants of hell fire: therein shall
they abide for ever.

o This word occurs in the next page.
p Or, according to some copies, at Medina.
q The meaning of these letters is unknown. Of several conjectural
explications which are given of them, the following is one: I am the most wise
and knowing GOD.
r As sweet and sour, black and white, small and large, &c.1
s Some tracts being fruitful and others barren, some plain and others
mountainous, some proper for corn and others for trees, &c.2
t The collar here mentioned is an engine something like a pillory, but
light enough for the criminal to walk about with. Besides the hole to fix it
on the neck, there is another for one of the hands, which is thereby fastened
to the neck.3 And in this manner the Mohammedans suppose the reprobates will
appear at the day of judgment.4 Some understand this passage figuratively, of
the infidels being bound in the chains of error and obstinacy.5

1 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. 2 Idem. 3 Vide Chardin, Voy. de
Perse, tom. ii. p. 220. 4 See cap. 5, p. 81.
5 Al Beidâwi.


They will ask of thee to hasten evil rather than good:u although there
have already been examples of the divine vengeance before them. Thy LORD is
surely endued with indulgence towards men, notwithstanding their iniquity; but
thy LORD is also severe in punishing.
The infidels say, Unless a sign be sent down unto him from his LORD, we
will not believe. Thou art commissioned to be a preacher only, and not a
worker of miracles: and unto every people hath a director been appointed.
GOD knoweth what every female beareth in her womb; and what the wombs
want or exceed of their due time, or number of young. With him is everything
regulated according to a determined measure.
10 He knoweth that which is hidden, and that which is revealed. He is the
great, the most high.
He among you who concealeth his words, and he who proclaimeth them in
public; he also who seeketh to hide himself in the night, and he who goeth
forth openly in the day, is equal in respect to the knowledge of God.
Each of them hath angels mutually succeeding each other, before him, and
behind him; they watch him by the command of GOD.x Verily GOD will not change
his grace which is in men, until they change the disposition in their souls by
sin. When GOD willeth evil on a people there shall be none to avert it;
neither shall they have any protector beside him.
It is he who causeth the lightning to appear unto you, to strike fear,
and to raise hope,y and who formeth the pregnant clouds.
The thunder celebrateth his praise,z and the angels also, for fear of
him. He sendeth his thunderbolts, and striketh therewith whom he pleaseth,
while they dispute concerning GOD;a for he is mighty in power.
It is he who ought of right to be invoked; and the idols, which they
invoke besides him, shall not hear them at all; otherwise than as he is heard,
who stretcheth forth his hands to the water that it may ascend to his mouth,
when it cannot ascend thither: the supplication of the unbelievers is utterly
erroneous.
Whatsoever is in heaven and on earth worshippeth GOD, voluntarily or of
force;b and their shadows also, morning and evening.c
Say, Who is the LORD of heaven and earth? Answer, GOD. Say, Have ye,
therefore, taken unto yourselves protectors beside him, who are unable either
to help, or to defend themselves from hurt? Say, Shall the blind and the
seeing be esteemed equal? or shall darkness and light be accounted the same?
or have they attributed companions unto GOD who have created as he hath
created, so that their creation bear any resemblance unto his? Say, GOD is
the creator of all things; he is the one, the victorious God.

u Provoking and daring thee to call down the divine vengeance on them
for their impenitency.
x See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. p. 56.
y Thunder and lightning being the sign of approaching rain; a great
blessing, in the eastern countries more especially.
z Or causeth those who hear it to praise him. Some commentators tell
us that by the word thunder, in this place, is meant the angel who presides
over the clouds, and drives them forwards with twisted sheets of fire.6
a This passage was revealed on the following occasion: Amer Ebn al
Tofail and Arbad Ebn Rabîah, the brother of Labîd, went to Mohammed with an
intent to kill him; and Amer began to dispute with him concerning the chief
points of his doctrine, while Arbad, taking a compass, went behind him to
dispatch him with his sword; but the prophet, perceiving his design, implored
GOD'S protection; whereupon Arbad was immediately struck dead by thunder, and
Amer was struck with a pestilential boil, of which he died in a short time, in
a miserable condition.7
Jallalo'ddin, however, tells another story saying that Mohammed, having
sent one to invite a certain man to embrace his religion, the person put this
question to the missionary, Who is this apostle, and what is God? Is he of
gold, or of silver, or of brass? Upon which a thunderbolt struck off his
skull, and killed him.
b The infidels and devils themselves being constrained to humble
themselves before him, though against their will, when they are delivered up
to punishment.
c This is an allusion to the increasing and diminishing of the shadows,
according to the height of the sun; so that, when they are the longest, which
is in the morning and the evening, they appear prostrate on the ground, in the
posture of adoration.

6 Idem, Jallalo'ddin. 7 Al Beidâwi. Vide Golii. not. in Adagia
Arab. adject. ad Gram Erpenii, p. 99.


He causeth water to descend from heaven, and the brooks flow according to
their respective measure, and the floods bear the floating froth: and from the
metals which they melt in the fire, seeking to cast ornaments or vessels for
use, there ariseth a scum like unto it. Thus GOD setteth forth truth and
vanity. But the scum is thrown off, and that which is useful to mankind
remaineth on the earth. Thus doth GOD put forth parables. Unto those who
obey their LORD shall be given the most excellent reward: but those who obey
him not, although they were possessed of whatever is in the whole earth and as
much more, they would give it all for their ransom. These will be brought to
a terrible account: their abode shall be hell; an unhappy couch shall it be!
Shall he, therefore, who knoweth that what hath been sent down unto thee
from thy LORD, is truth, be rewarded as he who is blind? The prudent only
will consider;
20 who fulfil the covenant of GOD, and break not their contract;
and who join that which GOD hath commanded to be joined,d and who fear
their LORD, and dread an ill account;
and who persevere out of a sincere desire to please their LORD, and
observe the stated times of prayer, and give alms out of what we have bestowed
on them, in secret and openly, and who turn away evil with good: the reward of
these shall be paradise,
gardens of eternal abode,e which they shall enter, and also whoever shall
have acted uprightly, of their fathers, and their wives, and their posterity:
and the angels shall go in unto them by every gate,
saying, Peace be upon you, because ye have endured with patience; how
excellent a reward is paradise!
But as for those who violate the covenant of GOD, after the establishment
thereof, and who cut in sunder that which GOD hath commanded to be joined, and
act corruptly in the earth, on them shall a curse fall, and they shall have a
miserable dwelling in hell.
GOD giveth provision in abundance unto whom he pleaseth, and is sparing
unto whom he pleaseth. Those of Mecca rejoice in the present life; although
the present life, in respect of the future, is but a precarious provision.
The infidels say, Unless a sign be sent down unto him from his LORD, we
will not believe. Answer, Verily, GOD will lead into error whom he pleaseth,
and will direct unto himself him who repenteth,
and those who believe, and whose hearts rest securely in the meditation
of GOD; shall not men's hearts rest securely in the meditation of GOD? They
who believe and do that which is right shall enjoy blessedness, and partake of
a happy resurrection.