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e Literally, gardens of Eden; see chapter 9, p. 142, 143.
f The expositors add, that the sea was divided into twelve separate
paths, one for each tribe:1 a fable borrowed from the Jews.2
g See chapter 2, p. 7.
h By ingratitude, excess, or insolent behaviour.
i For Moses, it seems, outwent the seventy elders, who had been chosen,
in obedience to the divine command, to accompany him to the mount,3 and
appeared before GOD while they were at some, though no great, distance behind
him.
j They continued in the worship of the true GOD for the first twenty
days of Moses's absence, which, by taking the nights also into their
reckoning, they computed to be forty, and at their expiration concluded they
had stayed the full time which Moses had commanded them, and so fell into the
worship of the golden calf.4
k This was not his proper name, but he had this appellation because he
was of a certain tribe among the Jews called Samaritans (wherein the
Mohammedans strangely betray their ignorance in history); though some say he
was a proselyte, but a hypocritical one, and originally of Kirmân, or some
other country. His true name was Moses, or Mûsa, Ebn Dhafar.5
Selden is of opinion that this person was no other than Aaron himself,
(who was really the maker of the calf), and that he is here called al Sâmeri,
from the Hebrew verb shamar, to keep;1 because he was the Keeper or Guardian
of the children of Israel during his brother's absence in the mount; which is
a very ingenious conjecture, not absolutely inconsistent with the text of the
Korân (though Mohammed seems to have mistaken al Sâmeri for the name of a
different person), and offers a much more probable origin of that appellation,
than to derive it, as the Mohammedans do, from the Samaritans, who were not
formed into a people, nor bore that name till many ages after.

1 Idem, Abulfed. in Hist. 2 Vide R. Eliezer, Pirke, chapter
42. 3 See chapter 2, p. 6, 7; chapter 7, p. 120, &c.
4 Al Beidâwi. 5 Idem.

Wherefore Moses returned unto his peoplel in great wrath, and exceedingly
afflicted.
And he said, O my people, had not your LORD promised you a most excellent
promise?m Did the time of my absence seem long unto you? Or did ye desire
that indignation from your LORD should fall on you, and therefore failed to
keep the promise which ye made me?
90 They answered, We have not failed in what we promised thee of our own
authority; but we were made to carry in several loads of gold and silver, of
the ornaments of the people,n and we cast them into the fire; and in like
manner al Sâmeri also cast in what he had collected, and he produced unto them
a corporeal calf,o which lowed. And al Sâmeri and his companions said, This
is your god, and the god of Moses; but he hath forgotten him, and is gone to
seek some other.
Did they not therefore see that their idol returned them no answer, and
was not able to cause them either hurt or profit?
And Aaron had said unto them before, O my people, verily ye are only
proved by this calf; for your LORD is the Merciful: wherefore, follow me, and
obey my command.
They answered, We will by no means cease to be devoted to its worship,
until Moses return unto us.
And when Moses was returned, he said, O Aaron, what hindered thee, when
thou sawest that they went astray, that thou didst not follow me?p Hast thou,
therefore, been disobedient to my command?
Aaron answered, O son of my mother, drag me not by the beard, nor by the
hair of my head. Verily I feared lest thou shouldest say,
Thou hast made a division among the children of Israel, and thou hast not
observed my saying.q
Moses said unto al Sâmeri, What was thy design, O Sâmeri? He answered, I
saw that which they saw not;r wherefore I took a handful of dust from the
footsteps of the messenger of God, and I cast it into the molten calf;s for so
did my mind direct me.

l viz., After he had completed his forty days' stay in the mount, and
had received the law.2
m i.e., The law, containing a light and certain direction to guide you
in the right way.
n These ornaments were rings, bracelets, and the like, which the
Israelities had borrowed of the Egyptians, under pretence of decking
themselves out for some feast, and had not returned to them; or, as some
think, what they had stripped from the dead bodies of the Egyptians, cast on
shore by the sea: and al Sameri, conceiving them unlawful to be kept, and the
occasion of much wickedness, persuaded Aaron to let him collect them from the
people; which being done, he threw them all into the fire, to melt them down
into one mass.3
It is observable, that the Mohammedans generally suppose the cast
metal's coming forth in the shape of a calf, was beside the expectation of al
Sameri, who had not made a mould of that figure: and that when Aaron excuses
himself to his brother, in the pentateuch, he seems as if he would persuade
him it was an accident.4
o See chapter 7, p. 119, note n.
p By these words Moses reprehends Aaron for not seconding his zeal in
taking arms against the idolaters; or for not coming after him to the
mountain, to acquaint him with their rebellion.
q i.e., Lest if I had taken arms against the worshippers of the calf,
thou shouldest say that I had raised a sedition; or if I had gone after thee,
thou shouldest blame me for abandoning my charge, and not waiting thy return
to rectify what was amiss.
r Or, I knew that which they knew not; viz., That the messenger sent to
thee from GOD was a pure spirit, and that his footsteps gave life to whatever
they touched; being no other than the angel Gabriel, mounted on the horse of
life: and therefore I made use of the dust of his feet to animate the molten
calf. It is said al Sâmeri knew the angel, because he had saved and taken
care of him when a child and exposed by his mother for fear of Pharaoh.1
s See chapter 2, p. 6.

1 Selden, de Diis Syris, Synt. I, chapter 4. 2 Al Beidâwi.
3 Idem. Vide D'Herbel. Bibl. Orient. p. 650, and Kor. chapter 2, p. 6,
&c. 4 See Exod. xxxii. 24. 1 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin.

Moses said, Get thee gone; for thy punishment in this life shall be, that
thou shalt say unto those who shall meet thee, Touch me not;t and a threat is
denounced against thee of more terrible pains, in the life to come, which thou
shalt by no means escape. And behold now thy god, to whose worship thou hast
continued assiduously devoted; verily we will burn it;u and we will reduce it
to powder, and scatter it in the sea.
Your GOD is the true GOD, besides whom there is no other god: he
comprehendeth all things by his knowledge.
100 Thus do we recite unto thee, O Mohammed, relations of what hath passed
heretofore; and we have given thee an admonition from us.
He who shall turn aside from it shall surely carry a load of guilt on the
day of resurrection:
they shall continue thereunder forever; and a grievous burden shall it be
unto them on the day of resurrection;x
On that day the trumpet shall be sounded; and we will gather the wicked
together on that day, having grey eyes.y
They shall speak with a low voice to one another, saying, Ye have not
tarriedz above ten days.
We well know what they will say; when the most conspicuous among them for
behavior shall say, Ye have not tarried above one day.
They will ask thee concerning the mountains: Answer, My LORD will reduce
them to dust, and scatter them abroad;a
and he will leave them a plain equally extended: thou shalt see no part
of them higher or lower than another.
On that day mankind shall follow the angel who will call them to
judgment,b none shall have power to turn aside from him; and their voices
shall be low before the Merciful, neither shalt thou hear any more than the
hollow sound of their feet.

t Lest they infect thee with a burning fever: for that was the
consequence of any man's touching him, and the same happened to the persons he
touched; for which reason he was obliged to avoid all communication with
others, and was also shunned by them, wandering in the desert like a wild
beast.2
Hence, it is concluded that a tribe of Samaritan Jews, said to inhabit a
certain isle in the Red Sea, are the descendants of our al Sâmeri; because it
is their peculiar mark of distinction, at this day, to use the same words,
viz., La mesâs, i.e., Touch me not, to those they meet.3 It is not improbable
that this story may owe its rise to the known hatred borne by the Samaritans
to the Jews, and their superstitiously avoiding to have any commerce with
them, or any other strangers.4
u Or, as the word may also be translated, We will file it down; but the
other is the more received interpretation.
x See chapter 6, p. 91.
y For this, with the Arabs, is one mark of an enemy, or a person they
abominate; to say a man has a black liver (though I think we express our
aversion by the term white-livered), reddish whiskers and grey eyes, being a
periphrasis for a foe, and particularly a Greek, which nation were the most
inveterate enemies of the Arabs, and have usually hair and eyes of those
colours.5 The original word, however, signifies also those who are squint-
eyed, or even blind of a suffusion.
z viz., In the world; or, in the grave.
a See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. p. 64.
b See ibid. p. 56.

2 Iidem. 3 Vide Geogr. Nub. p. 45. 4 Vide Selden,
ubi sup. 5 Al Beidâwi, Jawhari, in Lex.
25

On that day, the intercession of none shall be of advantage unto another,
except the intercession of him to whom the Merciful shall grant permission,c
and who shall be acceptable unto him in what he saith.
110 God knoweth that which is before them, and that which is behind them;
but they comprehend not the same by their knowledge:
and their faces shall be humbledd before the living, the self-subsisting
God; and he shall be wretched who shall bear his iniquity.
But whosoever shall do good works, being a true believer, shall not fear
any injustice, or any diminution of his reward from God.
And thus have we sent down this book, being a Koran in the Arabic tongue;
and we have inserted various threats and promises therein, that men may fear
God, or that it may awaken some consideration in them:
wherefore, let GOD be highly exalted, the King, the Truth! Be not over-
hasty in receiving or repeating the Koran before the revelation thereof be
completed unto thee;e and say, LORD, increase my knowledge.
We heretofore gave a command unto Adam; but he forgot the same,f and ate
of the forbidden fruit; and we found not in him a firm resolution.
And remember when we said unto the angels, Worship ye Adam; and they
worshipped him: but Eblis refused.g And we said, O Adam, verily this is an
enemy unto thee, and thy wife: wherefore, beware lest he turn you out of
paradise; for then shalt thou be miserable.
Verily we have made a provision for thee, that thou shalt not hunger
therein, neither shalt thou be naked:
and there is also a provision made for thee, that thou shalt not thirst
therein, neither shalt thou be incommoded by heat. But Satan whispered evil
suggestions unto him, saying, O Adam, shall I guide thee to the tree of
eternity, and a kingdom which faileth not?
And they both ate thereof: and their nakedness appeared unto them; and
they began to sew together the leaves of paradise, to cover themselves.h And
thus Adam became disobedient unto his LORD, and was seduced.
120 Afterwards his LORD accepted him, on his repentance, and was turned unto
him, and directed him.
And God said, Get ye down hence, all of you: the one of you shall be an
enemy unto the other. But hereafter shall a direction come unto you from me:i
and whosoever shall follow my direction shall not err, neither shall he
be unhappy;
but whosoever shall turn aside from my admonition, verily he shall lead a
miserable life,
and we will cause him to appear before us on the day of resurrection,
blind.j
And he shall say, O LORD, why hast thou brought me before thee blind,
whereas before I saw clearly?

c Or, Except unto him, &c. See chapter 19, p. 232.
d The original word properly expresses the humility and dejected looks
of captives in the presence of their conqueror.
e Mohammed is here commanded not to be impatient at any delay in
Gabriel's bringing the divine revelations, or not to repeat it too fast after
the angel, so as to overtake him before he had finished the passage. But some
suppose the prohibition relates to the publishing any verse before the same
was perfectly explained to him.1
f Adam's so soon forgetting the divine command, has occasioned some
Arab etymologists to derive the word Insân, i.e., man, from nasiya, to forget;
and has also given rise to the following proverbial saying, Awwalo nâsin
awwalo 'nnâsi, that is, The first forgetful person was the first of men;
alluding to the like sound of the words
g See chapter 2, p. 4, &c.; chapter 7, p. 105, &c.
h See chapter 7, p. 106.
i See chapter 2, p. 5.
j See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. p. 66.

1 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin

God shall answer, Thus have we done, because our signs came unto thee,
and thou didst forget them; and in the same manner shalt thou be forgotten
this day.
And thus will we reward him who shall be negligent, and shall not believe
in the signs of his LORD: and the punishment of the life to come shall be more
severe, and more lasting, than the punishment of this life.
Are not the Meccans, therefore, acquainted how many generations we have
destroyed before them; in whose dwellings they walk?k Verily herein are signs
unto those who are endued with understanding.
And unless a decree had previously gone forth from thy LORD for their
respite, verily their destruction had necessarily followed: but there is a
certain time determined by God for their punishment.
130 Wherefore, do thou, O Mohammed, patiently bear that which they say; and
celebrate the praise of thy LORD before the rising of the sun, and before the
setting thereof, and praise him in the hours of the night, and in the
extremities of the day,l that thou mayest be well-pleased with the prospect of
receiving favor from God.
And cast not thine eyes on that which we have granted divers of the
unbelievers to enjoy, namely, the splendor of this present life,m that we may
prove them thereby; for the provision of thy LORDn is better, and more
permanent.
Command thy family to observe prayer; and do thou persevere therein. We
require not of thee that thou labor to gain necessary provisions for thyself
and family; we will provide for thee; for the prosperous issue shall attend on
piety.o
The unbelievers say, Unless he come unto us with a sign from his LORD, we
will not believe on him. Hath not a plain declaration come unto them, of that
which is contained in the former volumes of scripture, by the revelation of
the Koran?
if we had destroyed them by a judgment before the same had been revealed,
they would have said, at the resurrection, O LORD, how could we believe since
thou didst not send unto us an apostle, that we might follow thy signs, before
we were humbled and covered with shame?
Say, Each of us wait the issue: wait, therefore; for ye shall surely know
hereafter who have been the followers of the even way, and who hath been
rightly directed.

k Seeing the footsteps of their destruction; as of the tribes of Al,
and Thamûd.
l i.e., Evening and morning; which times are repeated as the principal
hours of prayer. But some suppose these words intend the prayer of noon; the
first half of the day ending, and the second half beginning at that time.1
m That is, do not envy or covet their pomp and prosperity in this
world.2
n viz., The reward laid up for thee in the next life: or the gift of
prophecy, and the revelations with which GOD had favoured thee.
o It is said that when Mahommed's family were in any strait or
affliction, he used to order them to go to prayers, and to repeat this verse.3

1 Iidem. 2 See chapter 15, p. 194. 3 Al
Beidâwi.

CHAPTER XXI.

ENTITLED, THE PROPHETS;p REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

THE time of giving up their account draweth nigh unto the people of
Mecca; while they are sunk in negligence, turning aside from the consideration
thereof.
No admonition cometh unto them from their LORD, being lately revealed in
the Koran, but when they hear it,
they turn it to sport: their hearts are taken up with delights. And they
who act unjustly discourse privately together, saying, Is this Mohammed any
more than a man like yourselves? Will ye therefore come to hear a piece of
sorcery, when ye plainly perceive it to be so?
Say, My LORD knoweth whatever is spoken in heaven and on earth: it is he
who heareth and knoweth.
But they say, The Koran is a confused heap of dreams: nay, he hath forged
it; nay, he is a poet: let him come unto us therefore with some miracle, in
like manner as the former prophets were sent.
None of the cities which we have destroyed believed the miracles which
they saw performed before them: will these therefore believe, if they see a
miracle?
We sent none as our apostles before them, other than men, unto whom we
revealed our will. Ask those who are acquainted with the scripture, if ye
know not this.
We gave them not a body which could be supported without their eating
food; neither were they immortal.
But we made good our promise unto them: wherefore we delivered them, and
those whom we pleased; but we destroyed the exorbitant transgressors.
10 Now have we sent down unto you, O Koreish, the book of the Koran;
wherein there is honourable mention of you: will ye not therefore understand?
And how many cities have we overthrown, which were ungodly; and caused
other nations to rise up after them?
And when they felt our severe vengeance, behold, they fled swiftly from
those cities.
And the angels said scoffingly unto them, Do not fly; but return to that
wherein ye delighted, and to your habitations; peradventure ye will be asked.q
They answered, Alas for us! verily we have been unjust.r
And this their lamentation ceased not, until we had rendered them like
corn which is mown down and utterly extinct.

p The chapter bears this title, because some particular relating to
several of the ancient prophets are here recited.
q i.e., Concerning the present posture of affairs, by way of
consultation: or, that ye may be examined as to your deeds, that ye may
receive the reward thereof.1
r It is related that a prophet was sent to the inhabitants of certain
towns in Yaman, but instead of hearkening to his remonstrances, they killed
him: upon which GOD delivered them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, who put
them to the sword: a voice at the same time crying from heaven, Vengeance for
the blood of the prophets! Upon which they repented, and used the words of
this passage.

1 Idem, Jallalo'ddin, al Zamakh.

We created not the heavens and the earth, and that which is between them,
by way of sport.s
If we had pleased to take diversion, verily we had taken it with that
which beseemeth us;t if we had resolved to have done this.
But we will oppose truth to vanity, and it shall confound the same; and
behold, it shall vanish away. Woe be unto you, for that which ye impiously
utter concerning God!
since whoever is in heaven and on earth is subject unto him; and the
angels who are in his presence do not insolently disdain his service, neither
are they tired therewith.
20 They praise him night and day; they faint not.
Have they taken gods from the earth? Shall they raise the dead to life?
If there were either in heaven or on earth gods besides GOD, verily both
would be corrupted.u But far be that which they utter from GOD, the LORD of
the throne!
No account shall be demanded of him for what he shall do; but an account
shall be demanded of them.
Have they taken other gods besides him! Say, Produce your proof thereof.
This is the admonition of those who are contemporary with me, and the
admonition of those who have been before me:x but the greater part of them
know not the truth, and turn aside from the same.
We have sent no apostle before thee, but we revealed unto him that there
is no god beside myself, wherefore serve me.
They say, The Merciful hath begotten issue; and the angels are his
daughters.y GOD forbid! They are his honoured servants,
they prevent him not in anything which they say;z and they execute his
command.
He knoweth that which is before them, and that which is behind them; they
shall not intercede for any,
except for whom it shall please him; and they tremble for fear of him.
30 Whoever of them shall say, I am a god besides him; that angel will we
reward with hell: for so will we reward the unjust.
Do not the unbelievers therefore know, that the heavens and the earth
were solid, and we clave the same in sunder;a and made every living thing of
water? Will they not therefore believe?
And we placed stable mountains on the earth, lest it should move with
them;b and we made broad passages between them for paths, that they might be
directed in their journeys:

s But for the manifestation of our power and wisdom to people of
understanding, that they may seriously consider the wonders of the creation,
and direct their actions to the attainment of future happiness, neglecting the
vain pomp and fleeting pleasures of this world.
t viz., We had sought our pleasure in our own perfections; or, in the
spiritual beings which are in our immediate presence; and not in raising of
material buildings, with painted roofs, and fine floors, which is the
diversion of man.
Some think the original word, translated diversion, signifies in this
place a wife, or a child; and that the passage is particularly levelled
against the Christians.1
u That is, the whole creation would necessarily fall into confusion and
be overturned, by the competition of such mighty antagonists.
x i.e., This is the constant doctrine of all the sacred books; not only
of the Korân, but of those which were revealed in former ages; all of them
bearing witness to the great and fundamental truth of the unity of God.
y This passage was revealed on account of the Khozâites, who held the
angels to be the daughters of GOD.
z i.e., They presume not to say anything, until he hath spoken it;
behaving as servants who know their duty.
a That is, They were one continued mass of matter, till we separated
them, and divided the heaven into seven heavens, and the earth into as many
stories; and distinguished the various orbs of the one, and the different
climates of the other, &c. Or, as some choose to translate the words, The
heavens and the earth were shut up, and we opened the same; their meaning
being, that the heavens did not rain, nor the earth produce vegetables, till
GOD interposed his power.2
b See chapter 16, p. 196.

1 Iidem. 2 Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin.

and we made the heaven a roof well supported. Yet they turn aside from
the signs thereof, not considering that they are the workmanship of God.
It is he who hath created the night, and the day, and the sun, and the
moon; all the celestial bodies move swiftly, each in its respective orb.
We have not granted unto any man before thee eternal permanency in this
world; if thou die, therefore, will they be immortal?c
Every soul shall taste of death: and we will prove you with evil, and
with good, for a trial of you; and unto us shall ye return.
When the unbelievers see thee, they receive thee only with scoffing,
saying, Is this he who mentioneth your gods with contempt? Yet themselves
believe not what is mentioned to them of the Merciful.d
Man is created of precipitation.e Hereafter will I show you my signs, so
that ye shall not wish them to be hastened.
They say, When will this threat be accomplished, if ye speak truth?
40 If they who believe not knew that the time will surely come, when they
shall not be able to drive back the fire of hell from their faces, nor from
their backs, neither shall they be helped, they would not hasten it.
But the day of vengeance shall come upon them suddenly, and shall strike
them with astonishment: they shall not be able to avert it, neither shall they
be respited.
Other apostles have been mocked before thee; but the punishment which
they scoffed at fell upon such of them as mocked.
Say unto the scoffers, Who shall save you by night and by day from the
Merciful? Yet they utterly neglect the remembrance of their LORD.
Have they gods who will defend them, besides us? They are not able to
help themselves; neither shall they be assisted against us by their
companions,
But we have permitted these men and their fathers to enjoy worldly
prosperity, so long as life was continued unto them. Do they not perceive
that we come unto the land of the unbelievers, and straiten the borders
thereof? Shall they therefore be the conquerors?
Say, I only preach unto you the revelation of God: but the deaf will not
hear thy call, whenever they are preached unto.
Yet if the least breath of the punishment of thy LORD touch them, they
will surely say, Alas for us! verily we have been unjust.
We will appoint just balances for the day of resurrection; neither shall
any soul be injured at all: although the merit or guilt of an action be of the
weight of a grain of mustard-seed only, we will produce it publicly; and there
will be sufficient accountants with us.
We formerly gave unto Moses and Aaron the law, being a distinctionf
between good and evil, and a light and admonition unto the pious;
50 who fear their LORD in secret, and who dread the hour of judgment.
And this book also is a blessed admonition, which we have sent down from
heaven: will ye therefore deny it?