The Koran Part 150

A n.o.ble pattern had ye in G.o.d's Apostle, for all who hope in G.o.d, and in the latter day, and oft remember G.o.d!

And when the faithful saw the confederates, they said, "This is what G.o.d and His Apostle promised us,12 and G.o.d and His Apostle spoke truly:" and it only increased their faith and self-devotion.

Some were there among the faithful who made good what they had promised to G.o.d. Some have fulfilled their course, and others await its fulfilment, and have not been changelings who change-

That G.o.d may reward the faithful for their faithfulness, and may punish the hypocrites, if He so please, or be turned unto them: for G.o.d is Forgiving, Merciful.

And G.o.d drove back the infidels in their wrath; they won no advantage; G.o.d sufficed the faithful in the fight: for G.o.d is Strong, Mighty!

And He caused those of the people of the Book (the Jews), who had aided the confederates, to come down out of their fortresses, and cast dismay into their hearts: some ye slew, others ye took prisoners.13

And He gave you their land, and their dwellings, and their wealth, for an heritage-even a land on which ye had never set foot: for the might of G.o.d is equal to all things.

O Prophet! say to thy wives,14 If ye desire this present life and its braveries, come then, I will provide for you, and dismiss you with an honourable dismissal.

But if ye desire G.o.d and His Apostle, and a home in the next life, then, truly, hath G.o.d prepared for those of you who are virtuous, a great reward.

O wives of the Prophet! should any of you be guilty of a proven lewdness, doubly shall her chastis.e.m.e.nt be doubled: and with G.o.d this is easy.

But whoever of you shall obey G.o.d and His Apostle, and shall do that which is right, twice over will we give her her reward, and we have prepared for her a n.o.ble provision.

O wives of the Prophet! ye are not as other women. If ye fear G.o.d, be not too complaisant of speech, lest the man of unhealthy heart should l.u.s.t after you, but speak with discreet speech.

And abide still in your houses, and go not in public decked as in the days of your former ignorance,15 but observe prayer, and pay the impost, and obey G.o.d and the Apostle: for G.o.d only desireth to put away filthiness from you16 as his household, and with cleansing to cleanse you.

And recollect what is rehea.r.s.ed to you in your houses of the Book of G.o.d, and of wisdom: for G.o.d is keen-sighted, cognisant of all.

Truly the men who resign themselves to G.o.d (Muslims), and the women who resign themselves, and the believing men and the believing women, and the devout men and the devout women, and the men of truth, and the women of truth, and the patient men and the patient women, and the humble men and the humble women, and the men who give alms and the women who give alms, and the men who fast and the women who fast, and the chaste men and the chaste women, and the men and the women who oft remember G.o.d: for them hath G.o.d prepared forgiveness and a rich recompense.

And it is not for a believer, man or woman, to have any choice in their affairs, when G.o.d and His Apostle have decreed a matter: and whoever disobeyeth G.o.d and His Apostle, erreth with palpable error.

And, remember, when thou saidst to him unto whom G.o.d had shewn favour,17 and to whom thou also hadst shewn favour, "Keep thy wife to thyself, and fear G.o.d;" and thou didst hide in thy mind what G.o.d would bring to light.18 and thou didst fear man; but more right had it been to fear G.o.d. And when Zaid had settled concerning her to divorce her, we married her to thee, that it might not be a crime in the faithful to marry the wives of their adopted sons, when they have settled the affair concerning them. And the behest of G.o.d is to be performed.

No blame attacheth to the prophet where G.o.d hath given him a permission. Such was the way of G.o.d with those prophets who flourished before thee; for G.o.d's behest is a fixed decree-

Who fulfilled the mission with which G.o.d had charged them,19 and feared Him, and feared none but G.o.d. And G.o.d taketh a sufficient account.

Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Apostle of G.o.d, and the seal of the prophets: and G.o.d knoweth all things.

O Believers! remember G.o.d with frequent remembrance, and praise Him morning and evening.

He blesseth you, and His angels intercede for you, that He may bring you forth out of darkness into light: and Merciful is He to the Believers.

Their greeting on the day when they shall meet Him shall be "Peace!" And He hath got ready for them a n.o.ble recompense.

O Prophet ! we have sent thee to be a witness, and a herald of glad tidings, and a warner;

And one who, through His own permission, summoneth to G.o.d, and a light-giving torch.

Announce, therefore, to believers, that great boons do await them from G.o.d;

And obey not the Infidels and Hypocrites-yet abstain from injuring them: and put thou thy trust in G.o.d, for G.o.d is a sufficient guardian.

O Believers! when ye marry believing women, and then divorce them before ye have consummated the marriage, ye have no term prescribed you, which ye must fulfil towards them: provide for them, and dismiss them with a reputable dismissal.

O Prophet! we allow thee thy wives whom thou hast dowered, and the slaves whom thy right hand possesseth out of the booty which G.o.d hath granted thee, and the daughters of thy uncle, and of thy paternal and maternal aunts who fled with thee to Medina, and any believing woman who hath given herself up to the Prophet, if the Prophet desired to wed her-a Privilege for thee above the rest of the Faithful.

We well know what we have settled for them, in regard to their wives and to the slaves whom their right hands hold, that there may be no fault on thy part:20 and G.o.d is Indulgent, Merciful!

Thou mayst decline for the present whom thou wilt of them, and thou mayest take to thy bed her whom thou wilt, and whomsoever thou shalt long for of those thou shalt have before neglected; and this shall not be a crime in thee. Thus will it be easier to give them the desire of their eyes, and not to put them to grief, and to satisfy them with what thou shalt accord to each of them. G.o.d knoweth what is in your hearts, and G.o.d is Knowing, Gracious.

It is not permitted thee to take other wives hereafter,21 nor to change thy present wives for other women, though their beauty charm thee, except slaves whom thy right hand shall possess.22 And G.o.d watcheth all things.

O Believers! enter not into the houses of the Prophet,23 save by his leave, for a meal, without waiting his time. When ye are invited then enter, and when ye have eaten then disperse at once.24 And engage not in familiar talk, for this would cause the Prophet trouble, and he would be ashamed to bid you go; but G.o.d is not ashamed to say the truth. And when ye would ask any gift of his wives, ask it from behind a veil. Purer will this be for your hearts and for their hearts. And ye must not trouble the Apostle of G.o.d, nor marry his wives, after him, for ever. This would be a grave offence with G.o.d.

Whether ye bring a matter to the light or hide it, G.o.d truly hath knowledge of all things.

No blame shall attach to them (your wives) for speaking to their fathers unveiled, or to their sons, or to their brothers, or to their brothers' sons, or to their sisters' sons, or to their women, or to the slaves whom their right hands hold. And fear ye G.o.d: for G.o.d witnesseth all things.

Verily, G.o.d and His Angels bless the Prophet! Bless ye Him, O Believers, and salute Him with salutations of Peace.

Verily, they who affront G.o.d and His Apostle, the curse of G.o.d is on them in this world, and in the world to come: and He hath prepared for them a shameful chastis.e.m.e.nt.

And they who shall affront believing men and believing women, for no fault of theirs, they shall surely bear the guilt of slander, and of a clear wrong.

O Prophet! speak to thy wives and to thy daughters,25 and to the wives of the Faithful, that they let their veils fall low. Thus will they more easily be known, and they will not be affronted. G.o.d is Indulgent, Merciful!

If the Hypocrites, and the men of tainted heart, and the stirrers of sedition in Medina desist not, we will surely stir thee up against them. Then shall they not be suffered to dwell near thee therein, but a little while:

Cursed wherever they are found; they shall be seized and slain with slaughter!

Such hath been the way of G.o.d with those who lived before them; and no change canst thou find in the way of G.o.d.

Men will ask thee of "the Hour." SAY: The knowledge of it is with G.o.d alone: and who can tell thee whether haply the Hour be not nigh at hand?

Verily, G.o.d hath cursed the Infidels, and hath got ready for them the flame:

For aye shall they abide therein; none to befriend them, no helper shall they find!

On the day when their faces shall be rolled in the fire, they shall cry: "Oh!

would that we had obeyed G.o.d, and obeyed the Apostle!"

And they shall say: "Oh our Lord! indeed we obeyed our chiefs and our great ones, and they misled us from the way of G.o.d-

O our Lord! give them a double chastis.e.m.e.nt, and curse them with a heavy curse."

O Believers! be not like those who affronted Moses.26 But G.o.d cleared him from what they said of him, and of G.o.d was he highly esteemed.