The Koran Part 158

If ye go forth to fight on my way, and from a desire to please me, and shew them kindness in private, I well know what ye conceal, and what ye discover!

Whoso doth this hath already gone astray from the even way.

If they meet with you they will prove your foes: hand and tongue will they put forth for your hurt, and will desire that you become infidels again.

Neither your kindred nor your children shall at all avail you on the day of the resurrection. A severance between you will it make! and your actions doth G.o.d behold.

A good example had ye in Abraham,3 and in those who followed him, when they said to their people, "Verily, we are clear of you, and of what ye wors.h.i.+p beside G.o.d: we renounce you: and between us and hath hatred and enmity sprung up for ever, until ye believe in G.o.d alone." Yet imitate not the language of Abraham to his Father, "I will pray for thy forgiveness, but not aught shall I obtain for thee from G.o.d."4 O our Lord! in thee do we trust! to thee do we turn! to thee we shall come back at the last.

O our Lord! expose us not for trial to the unbelievers, and forgive us: for thou art the Mighty, the Wise!

A good example had ye in them, for all who hope in G.o.d and in the last day.

But let who will turn back, G.o.d truly is the Rich, the Praiseworthy!

G.o.d will, perhaps, establish good will between yourselves and those of them whom ye take to be your enemies:5 G.o.d is Powerful: and G.o.d is Gracious, Merciful.

G.o.d doth not forbid you to deal with kindness and fairness toward those who have not made war upon you on account of your religion, or driven you forth from your homes: for G.o.d loveth those who act with fairness.>Only doth G.o.d forbid you to make friends of those who, on account of your religion, have warred against you, and have driven you forth from your homes, and have aided those who drove you forth: and whoever maketh friends of them are wrong- doers.

O Believers!6 when believing women come over to you as refugees (Mohadjers), then make TRIAL of them. G.o.d best knoweth their faith; but if ye have also ascertained their faith, let them not go back to the infidels; they are not lawful for them, nor are the unbelievers lawful for these women. But give them back what they have spent for their dowers. No crime shall it be in you to marry them, provided ye give them their dowers. Do not retain any right in the infidel women, but demand back what you have spent for their dowers, and let the unbelievers demand back what they have spent for their wives.7 This is the ordinance of G.o.d which He ordaineth among you: and G.o.d is Knowing, Wise.

And if any of your wives escape from you to the Infidels from whom ye afterwards take any spoil, then give to those whose wives shall have fled away, the like of what they shall have spent for their dowers; and fear G.o.d in whom ye believe.

O Prophet! when believing women come to thee, and pledge themselves that they will not a.s.sociate aught with G.o.d, and that they will not steal or commit adultery, nor kill their children, nor bring scandalous charges,8 nor disobey thee in what is right, then plight thou thy faith to them, and ask pardon for them of G.o.d: for G.o.d is Indulgent, Merciful!

O Believers! enter not into amity with those against whom G.o.d is angered; they despair of the life to come, even as the Infidels despair of the inmates of the tombs.

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1 Revealed probably as far as verse 9 (Ramadhan Hej. 8) shortly before the taking of Mecca.

2 Haleb (?) Ben Abu Baltaa had informed the Koreisch of an intended surprise of Mecca on the part of Muhammad, with the view of making terms for his own family who had been left there. The offence was pardoned, but the revelation was nevertheless published with the view of preventing similar acts of treachery in future.

3 Speaking of the representatives of the different religious systems prevalent in the Roman Empire, as Orpheus, Abraham, Christ, Apollonius of Tyana, enshrined among the household deities of Alexander Severus, Mr. Milman remarks (Hist. of Christianity, ii. p. 231) that "It is singular that Abraham, rather than Moses, was placed at the head of Judaism: it is possible that the traditionary sanct.i.ty which attached to the first parent of the Jewish people, and of many of the Arab tribes, and which was afterwards embodied in the Koran, was floating in the East, and would comprehend, as it were, the opinions, not only of the Jews, but of a much wider circle of the Syrian natives."

4 Sura [cxiii.] ix. 115.

5 That is, by their conversion hereafter.

6 Said (see Nold. p. 163) to have been revealed at, or shortly after, the peace of Hudaibiya. According to the terms then agreed upon, a mutual rest.i.tution of property was to take place.

7 Who are converted to Islam.

8 Lit. with a calumny which they have devised between their hands and their feet. Said to have been revealed at the taking of Mecca. Tab. Beidh.

SURA1 CX.-HELP [CXI.]

MEDINA.-3 Verses

In the Name of G.o.d, the Compa.s.sionate, the Merciful

WHEN the HELP of G.o.d and the victory arrive,

And thou seest men entering the religion of G.o.d by troops;

Then utter the praise of thy Lord, implore His pardon; for He loveth to turn in mercy.

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1 This Sura was revealed at the taking of Mecca, and is supposed to have given Muhammad warning of his death.

SURA XLIX.-THE APARTMENTS [CXII.]

MEDINA.-18 Verses

In the Name of G.o.d, the Compa.s.sionate, the Merciful

O BELIEVERS! enter not upon any affair ere G.o.d and His Apostle1 permit you; and fear ye G.o.d: for G.o.d Heareth, Knoweth.2

O Believers! raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, neither speak loud to him as ye speak loud one to another, lest your works come to nought, and ye unaware of it.

They who lower their voices in the presence of the Apostle of G.o.d, are the persons whose hearts G.o.d hath inclined to piety. Forgiveness shall be theirs and a rich reward.

They who call out to thee while thou art within3 thine APARTMENTS, have most of them no right perception of what is due to thee.

But if they wait patiently till thou come forth to them, it were far better for them. But G.o.d is Indulgent, Merciful.

O Believers! if any bad man4 come to you with news, clear it up at once, lest through ignorance ye harm others, and speedily have to repent of what ye have done.

And know that an Apostle of G.o.d is among you! should he give way to you in many matters ye would certainly become guilty of a crime. But G.o.d hath endeared the faith to you, and hath given it favour in your hearts, and hath made unbelief, and wickedness, and disobedience hateful to you. Such are they who pursue a right course.

Through the bounty and grace which is from G.o.d: and G.o.d is Knowing, Wise.

If two bodies of the faithful are at war, then make ye peace between them:5 and if the one of them wrong the other, fight against that party which doth the wrong, until they come back to the precepts of G.o.d: if they come back, make peace between them with fairness, and act impartially; G.o.d loveth those who act with impartiality.

Only the faithful are brethren; wherefore make peace between your brethren; and fear G.o.d, that ye may obtain mercy.

O Believers! let not men laugh men to scorn who haply may be better than themselves; neither let women laugh women to scorn who may haply be better than themselves!6 Neither defame one another, nor call one another by nicknames. Bad is it to be called wicked after having professed the faith:7 and whoso repent not of this are doers of wrong.

O Believers! avoid frequent suspicions, for some suspicions are a crime; and pry not: neither let the one of you traduce another in his absence. Would any one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Surely ye would loathe it. And fear ye G.o.d: for G.o.d is Ready to turn, Merciful.

O men! verily, we have created you of a male and a female; and we have divided you into peoples and tribes that ye might have knowledge one of another. Truly, the most worthy of honour in the sight of G.o.d is he who feareth Him most.8 Verily, G.o.d is Knowing, Cognisant.

The Arabs of the desert9 say, "We believe." Say thou: Ye believe not; but rather say, "We profess Islam;" for the faith hath not yet found its way into your hearts. But if ye obey G.o.d and His Apostle, he will not allow you to lose any of your actions: for G.o.d is Indulgent, Merciful.

The true believers are those only who believe in G.o.d and His Apostle, and afterwards doubt not; and who contend with their substance and their persons on the path of G.o.d. These are the sincere.