Chapter III: The Argumentative Period (1)

_Aet._ 46-53
A.D. 615-622

THE BELIEVER.

_In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful._

H. M. The revelation of the Book is from God the Mighty, the Wise,
Forgiver of sin, and accepter of repentance,--heavy in punishment,
Long-suffering: there is no God but He, to whom is your journeying.
None dispute about the signs of God save those who disbelieve; but
let not their trafficking in the land deceive thee.
Before them the people of Noah, and the allies after them, denied,
and every folk hath purposed against its apostle to overmaster
him, and they argued with falsehood to rebut the truth therewith;
but I did overmaster them and how great was my punishment!
And thus was the sentence of thy Lord accomplished upon those who
disbelieved, that they should be inmates of the Fire!

They that bear the Throne and they that are round about it magnify
the praise of their Lord and believe in Him and beg forgiveness
for those who believe:--“O our Lord! thou embracest all things in
mercy and knowledge, give pardon to those who repent and follow
thy path, and keep them from the torment of hell,
O our Lord, and bring them into the gardens of eternity which thou
hast promised to them and to the just among their fathers and
their wives and their offspring; verily thou art the Mighty, the
Wise;
And keep them from evil; for he whom thou keepest from evil on that
day, on him hast thou had mercy--and that is the great prize!”

Verily to those who disbelieve shall come a voice, “Surely the
hatred of God is greater than your hatred among yourselves, when
ye are called to the faith, and disbelieve.”
They shall say, “O our Lord, twice hast thou given us death, and
twice hast thou given us life: and we acknowledge our sins: is
there then a way to escape?”--
“That hath befallen you because when one God was proclaimed, ye
disbelieved: but when Partners were ascribed to Him, ye believed:
but judgment belongeth unto God, the High, the Great.”
It is He who showeth you His signs, and sendeth down to you
provision from heaven: but none mindeth except the repentant.

Then call on God with due obedience, though loth be the infidels;
Of high degree, Lord of the throne; He sendeth down the Spirit at
His will upon whom He pleaseth of His servants to warn men of the
day of the Tryst:--
The day when they shall come forth, and when nothing of theirs
shall be hidden from God. Whose is the kingship on that day? It
is God’s, the One, the Conqueror!
The day every soul shall be rewarded for what it hath earned: no
injustice shall there be on that day! Verily God is swift to
reckon.
And warn them of the approaching Day, when their hearts shall choke
in their throats,
When the wicked have no friend nor intercessor to prevail.
He knoweth the deceitful of eye, and what the breast concealeth,
And God judgeth with truth; but those gods whom they call on beside
Him cannot judge aught. Verily it is God that heareth and seeth!

Have they not journeyed in the earth, and seen what was the end
of those who were before them? Those were mightier than they in
strength, and in their footprints on the earth: but God overtook
them in their sins, and there was none to keep them from God.
That was because apostles had come to them with manifestations, and
they believed not: but God overtook them; verily He is strong and
heavy in punishment.

We sent Moses of old with our signs and with plain authority,
To Pharaoh, and Haman, and Korah: and they said, “A lying wizard.”
And when he came to them with truth from us they said, “Slay the
sons of those who believe with them, and spare their women;” but
the plot of the unbelievers was at fault:
And Pharaoh said, “Let me alone to kill Moses; and let him call
upon his Lord: verily I fear lest he change your religion, or
cause iniquity in the earth.”
And Moses said, “Verily I take refuge with my Lord and your
Lord from every one puffed up who believeth not in the day of
reckoning.”
And there spake a man of the family of Pharaoh, a BELIEVER, who
concealed his faith, “Will ye kill a man because he saith my Lord
is God, when he hath come unto you with manifestations from your
Lord? for if he be a liar, upon him alone is his lie, but if he
be a man of truth, somewhat of that which he threateneth will
befall you. Verily God guideth not him who is an outrageous liar.
O my people, to-day is the kingdom yours who are uppermost in the
earth! but who will defend us against the might of God if it come
upon us?” Pharaoh said, “I will only show you what I think, and I
will not guide you save in a right way.”
Then said he who believed, “O my people, verily I fear for you the
like of the day of the allies,
The like of the state of the people of Noah, and Ad, and Thamūd,
And of those who came after them; and God willeth not injustice to
His servants.
And, O my people! verily I fear for you the day of crying out:
The day when ye shall turn your backs in flight, ye shall have no
protector against God; and he whom God misleads, no guide has he.
Moreover, Joseph came unto you before with manifestations; but ye
ceased not to doubt about [the message] he brought you, until
when he died ye said, ‘God will by no means send an apostle after
him.’ Thus God misleadeth him who is an outrageous doubter.
They who dispute about the signs of God, and no proof coming to
them, are very hateful to God and to those who believe. Thus God
sealeth the heart of all who are puffed up and arrogant.”
And Pharaoh said, “O Haman, build me a tower, mayhap I shall reach
the avenues,
The avenues of the heavens, and may ascend to the God of Moses: but
verily I hold him a liar.”
And thus the wickedness of his deed seemed good to Pharaoh, and he
was turned away from the right path; but the plot of Pharaoh only
came to ruin.
And he who believed said, “O my people, follow me: I will guide you
the right way.
O my people, the life of this world is but a passing joy; but the
life to come, that is the abode imperishable.
Whosoever doeth evil shall not be rewarded save with its like;
and whosoever doeth right, whether male or female, being a
believer--these shall enter paradise; and be provided therein
without count.
And O my people! how is it that I bid you to salvation, but that ye
bid me to the Fire?
Ye call me to disbelieve in God and join to Him that of which
I have no knowledge: and I call you to the Mighty, the Very
Forgiving.
There is no doubt but that those ye call me to are not to be called
on in this world or in the world to come, and that we shall
return unto God, and the transgressors shall be inmates of the
Fire.
Then shall ye call to mind what I said to you: and I commit my case
to God: verily God regardeth His servants.”
So God kept him from the evil which they devised, and there
encompassed the people of Pharaoh the woeful torment--
The Fire, to which they shall be exposed morning and evening; and
on the day when the Hour cometh--“Enter, ye people of Pharaoh,
into the sorest torment.”
And when they shall wrangle together in the fire, the feeble shall
say to those who were puffed up, “Verily we followed you: will ye
then remove from us aught of the Fire?”
And those who were puffed up will say, “Verily we are all in it.
Behold! God hath judged between His servants.”
And they who are in the Fire shall say to the keepers of Hell,
“Call on your Lord, that He remit us one day from the torment.”
The keepers shall say, “Did there not come to you your apostles
with manifestations?” They shall say, “Yea.” The keepers shall
say, “Call then,” but the cry of the unbelievers shall be vain.

Verily we will help our apostles and those who believe, both in the
life of this world and on the day when the witness shall stand
forth;--
A day whereon the excuse of the wicked shall not profit them; but
they shall have the curse and the abode of woe.
And of old gave we Moses the guidance, and the Children of Israel
made we heirs of the Book,--a guidance and a warning to those who
have understanding.
Be patient, therefore; verily the promise of God is true; and seek
pardon for thy sins, and magnify the praises of thy Lord at eve
and early morn.
Verily those who dispute about the signs of God, without proof
reaching them, there is naught in their breasts but pride: and
they shall not win. But seek refuge with God; verily, He heareth
and seeth.

Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than
the creation of man. But most men do not know.
Moreover the blind and the seeing are not equal, nor the sinner and
they who believe and do the things that are right;--little do
they mind!
Verily the Hour is assuredly coming: there is no doubt of it;--but
most men do not believe.
And your Lord saith, “Call upon me;--I will hearken unto you: but
as to those who are too puffed up for my service, they shall
enter Hell in contempt.”

It is God who made you the night to rest in, and the day for
seeing: verily God is bounteous to man, but most men are not
thankful.
That is God your Lord, Creator of all things: there is no god but
He: then why do ye turn away?
Thus do they turn away who gainsay the signs of God--
God, who made you the earth for a resting-place and the heaven for
a tent, and formed you and made goodly your forms and provided
you with good things--that is God, your Lord.
Then blessed be God, the Lord of the worlds!
He is the Living One. No god is there but He! then call upon Him,
purifying your service to Him. Praise be to God, the Lord of the
worlds!
Say: Verily I am forbidden to serve those whom ye call on beside
God, since there came to me manifestations from my Lord, and I am
bidden to resign myself to the Lord of the worlds.
He it is who created you of dust, then of a germ, then of blood;
then bringeth you forth a babe: then ye come to your strength,
then ye become old men (but some of you die before) and reach the
appointed term: haply ye will understand!
It is He who giveth life and death; and when He decreeth a thing,
He only saith to it, “Be,” and it is.

Hast thou not beheld those who cavil at the signs of God, how they
are turned aside?
They who call the Book, and that with which we have sent our
apostles, a lie: they shall soon know!
When the shackles shall be on their necks, and the chains, whilst
they are dragged into Hell--then in the fire shall they be
burned--
Then shall it be said to them, “Where is that which ye joined in
worship beside God?” They shall say, “They are lost to us, Nay!
we did not call before upon anything.” Thus God misleadeth the
unbelievers.
“That is because ye exulted on earth in what was not true, and
because ye were insolent.”
Enter the gates of Hell to abide therein for ever: and wretched is
the abode of the proud!

But be thou patient: verily the promise of God is true: and whether
we show thee part of what we threatened them, or whether we make
thee to die; yet to us shall they return.
We have sent apostles before thee. Of some we have told thee and
of some we have not told thee: but no apostle was able to bring
a sign unless by the permission of God. But when God’s behest
cometh, everything is decided with truth: and those perish who
think it vain.

It is God who hath made for you the cattle, some to ride and some
to eat,
(And ye have profit from them) and to attain by them the aims of
your hearts, for on them and in ships are ye borne:
And He showeth you His signs: which then of the signs of God will
ye deny?
Have they not journeyed in the earth, and seen what was the end of
those who were before them? They were in number more than they,
and mightier in strength, and in their footprints on the earth:
but what they had earned availed them nothing;
And when their apostles came to them with manifestations, they
exulted in what knowledge they had; but that which they had
scoffed at encompassed them.
And when they beheld our might they said, “We believe in God alone,
and we disbelieve in what we joined in worship with Him.”
And naught availed their faith, after they witnessed our might.
Such the way of God which was reserved for his servants--and
therein the unbelievers have lost.

(xl.)

JONAH.

_In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful._

A. L. R. These are the signs of the wise Book!
Is it a matter of wonder to the people that we revealed to a man
from among themselves, “Warn the people; and bring good tidings
to those who believe, that the reward of their good faith is
with their Lord?” The unbelievers say, “Lo! this is an evident
sorcerer!”

Verily your Lord is God, who made the heavens and the earth in six
days--then ascended the throne to govern all things: there is
none to plead with Him save by His permission.--This is God, your
Lord! then worship ye Him: will ye not mind?
Unto Him shall ye all return by the sure promise of God: behold!
He produces a creature, then maketh it return again, that He may
reward with equity those who believe and do the things that are
right: but those who believe not, for them is the scalding drink,
and an aching torment--because they did not believe.
It is He who hath made the sun for shining, and the moon for light,
and ordained him mansions that ye may learn the number of years
and the reckoning of time. God did not create that but in truth.
He maketh His signs plain to a people who know.
Verily in the alterations of the night and the day, and in all
that God created in the heavens and the earth, are signs to a
godfearing folk.

Verily they who do not hope to meet us, and are satisfied with the
life of this world, and are content with it, and they who are
careless of our signs,--
Their dwelling-place is the Fire, for what they have earned.
Verily they who believe and do the things that are right, their
Lord shall guide them because of their faith; beneath them rivers
shall flow in gardens of delight:
Their cry therein shall be, “Extolled be thy glory, O God!” and
their salutation therein shall be “Peace!”
And the end of their cry shall be, “Praise to God, Lord of the
worlds!”
And if God should hasten woe upon men as they fain would hasten
weal, verily their appointed term is decreed for them! therefore
we leave those who hope not to meet us groping in their
disobedience.
Moreover, when affliction toucheth man, he calleth us upon his
side, sitting, or standing; and when we take away his affliction
from him, he passeth on as though he had not called us in the
affliction that touched him! Thus do the deeds of transgressors
seem good to them!
We have destroyed generations before you, when they sinned and
their apostles came to them with manifestations and they would
not believe;--thus do we requite the sinful folk.
Then we made you their successors in the earth after them, to see
how ye would act.
But when our manifest signs are recited to them, they who hope not
to meet us say, “Bring a different Korān from this, or change
it.” Say: It is not for me to change it of mine own will. I
follow only what is revealed to me: verily I fear if I disobey my
Lord the torment of the great Day.
Say: If God pleased, I had not recited it to you nor taught it you;
and already I had dwelt a lifetime amongst you before that: have
ye then no wits?
And who is more wicked than he who forgeth a lie against God, or
saith His signs are lies? Surely the sinners shall not prosper!
And they worship beside God that which cannot hurt them or help
them; and they say, “These shall be our pleaders with God.” Say:
Will ye tell God of anything He doth not know in the heavens and
in the earth? Extolled be His glory! and far be He above what
they associate with Him!
Men were of only one religion: then they differed, and had not a
decree gone forth from thy Lord, there had certainly been made a
decision between them of that whereon they differed.
And they say, “Had a sign been sent down to him from his Lord
...”--but say: The unseen is with God alone: wait, therefore;
verily I am waiting with you.
And when we caused men to taste of mercy after affliction had
touched them, behold! they have a plot against our signs! Say:
God is quick at plotting! verily our messengers write down what
ye plot.

He it is who maketh you journey by land and sea, until, when ye are
in ships--and they run with them before a fair wind, and they
rejoice thereat, there cometh upon them a violent wind, and the
waves come upon them from every side, and they suppose they are
sore pressed therewith; they call on God, offering Him sincere
religion:--“Do thou but deliver us from this, and we will indeed
be of the thankful.”
But when we have delivered them, lo, they transgress unjustly on
the earth! O ye people! ye wrong your own souls only for the
enjoyment of the life of this world: then to us shall ye return;
and we will tell you what ye have done.

The likeness of the life of this world is as the water which we
send down from the heaven, and there mingleth with it the produce
of the earth of which men and cattle eat, until when the earth
hath put on its blazonry and is arrayed, and its inhabitants
think it is they who ordain it, our command cometh to it by
night or day, and we make it mown down, as if it had not teemed
yesterday! Thus do we explain our signs to a reflecting folk.

And God calleth you unto the abode of peace: and guideth whom He
will into the straight way:
To those who have done well, weal and to spare,
Neither blackness shall cover their faces nor shame! these are the
inmates of Paradise, to abide therein for ever.
And as for those who have earned evil, the recompense of evil is
its like; shame shall cover them--no defender shall they have
against God--as though their faces were darkened with the gloom
of night: these are the inmates of the Fire to abide therein for
ever.
And on the day we will gather them all together, then will we say
to those who made Partners with God, “To your place, ye and your
Partners!” and we will separate between them; and their partners
shall say, “Ye worshipped not us,
And God is witness enough between us and you that we were
indifferent to your worship!”
Then shall every soul make proof of what it hath sent on before,
and they shall be brought back to God their true Master, and what
they devised shall vanish from them.

Say: Who provideth you from the heaven and the earth? who is king
over hearing and sight? and who bringeth forth the living from
the dead and bringeth forth the dead from the living? and who
ruleth all things? And they shall say, “God:” then say: Do ye not
fear?
So that is God your true Lord: and after the truth, what is there
but error? How then are ye turned away?
Thus is the word of thy Lord fulfilled upon those who work
iniquity: they shall not believe.
Say: Is there any of the Partners [of God] who can produce a
creature, then bring it back again? Say: God produceth a creature
then bringeth it back again: how then are ye deceived?
Say: Is there any of the Partners who guideth to the truth? Say:
God guideth unto the truth. Is he who guideth to the truth the
worthier to be followed, or he who guideth not except he be
guided? What is in you so to judge?
And most of them only follow a fancy: but a fancy profiteth nothing
against the truth! verily God knoweth what they do.

Moreover this Korān could not have been devised without God: but it
confirmeth what preceded it, and explaineth the Scripture--there
is no doubt therein--from the Lord of the worlds.
Do they say, “He hath devised it himself?” Say: Then bring a
chapter like it: and call on whom ye can beside God, if ye be
speakers of truth.
Nay, they call all that a lie, of which they compass not the
knowledge, though the explanation of it hath not yet been given
them; so did those who were before them call the Scriptures lies:
but see what was the end of the wicked!
And some of them believe in it, and some of them believe not in it.
But thy Lord knoweth best about the evildoers.
And if they call thee a liar, say, I have my work, and ye have your
work: ye are clear of what I work, and I am clear of what ye work.
And some of them hearken to thee; but canst thou make the deaf hear
if they have no wits?
And some of them regard thee; but canst thou guide the blind when
they see not?
Verily God doth not wrong man a whit, but men wrong themselves.

And on a day He will gather them, as though they had tarried but an
hour of the day: they shall know one another! They are lost who
denied the meeting with God and were not guided!
Whether we show thee part of what we threatened against them,
or whether we take thee to ourself [before], to us is their
return--then shall God be witness of what they have done.
And every nation hath its apostle; and when their apostle is come,
it is decided between them with equity, and they are not wronged.
Yet they say, “When will this promise be, if ye be speakers of
truth?”
Say: I have no power for myself for woe or weal, except as God
pleaseth. Every people hath its appointed term: when their term
is come, they shall not put it off nor hasten it an hour.
Say: Bethink ye, if the torment of God come upon you by night or by
day, what portion of it will the sinners willingly hasten on?
When it happeneth, will ye believe it then? Yet would ye fain
hasten it on!
Then shall it be said to those who transgressed, “Taste ye the
torment of eternity! Shall ye be rewarded save according to what
ye have earned?”
They would fain know of thee if this is true. Say: Yea, by my Lord,
it is indeed true, and ye cannot weaken Him.
And if every soul that transgressed owned all that is on earth, he
would assuredly give it in ransom; and they will declare their
repentance when they have seen the torment: and there shall be a
decision between them with equity, and they shall not be wronged.
Is not indeed whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth God’s? Is
not indeed the promise of God true? But most of them do not know!
He giveth life and death, and to Him shall ye return.

O ye people! now hath a warning come to you from your Lord, and a
healing for what is in your breasts, and a guidance and a mercy
to the believers.
Say: By the grace of God and his mercy! And in that let them
therefore rejoice: this is better than what they heap up.
Say: Do ye consider what God hath sent down to you for provision:
but ye made thereof unlawful and lawful? Say, did God permit you?
or do ye forge against God?
But what will they think on the day of resurrection who forge a lie
against God? Truly God is full of bounty towards man; but most of
them are not thankful.
Thou shalt not be in any business, and thou shalt not read from the
Korān, and ye shall not do any deed, but we are witness against
you when ye are engaged therein; and there escapeth not thy Lord
an ant’s weight in earth or in heaven: and there is nothing
lesser or greater than that, but it is in the plain Book.
Are not they truly the friends of God on whom is no fear neither
are they sorrowful--
They who believed and feared God,--
For them are good tidings in the life of this world, and in the
life to come there is no changing in God’s sentences. That is the
great prize!

And let not their discourse grieve thee: verily all power belongeth
to God, He it is who heareth and knoweth.
Doth not whoever is in the heavens and whoever is in the earth
belong to God? then what do they follow who call upon Partners
beside God? verily they follow but a fancy; and verily they are
naught but liars.
It is He who made you the night to rest in, and the day for seeing:
verily in that are signs to a folk that can hear!

They say, “God hath taken him a son.” Extolled be his glory! He is
the Self-sufficient, all that is in the heavens, and all that
is in the earth is his! ye have no warranty for this! do ye say
about God that which ye know not?
Say: Verily they who forge this lie against God shall not prosper:--
A passing joy in this world, then to us they return; and then we
will make them taste the grievous torment, because they did not
believe.

And tell them the story of Noah, when he said to his people,--“O
my people! though my dwelling with you and my warning you of the
signs of God hath been grievous to you, yet in God do I put my
trust: so gather together your case and your Partners; then will
not your case fall upon you in the dark: then decide about me and
delay not.
And if ye turn, yet ask I no reward from you: my reward is with God
alone, and I am commanded to be of those who are resigned.”
But they called him a liar, so we delivered him and those who were
with him in the ship, and we made them to survive; and we drowned
those who had called our signs lies: see then what was the end of
those who were warned!

Then after him, we sent apostles to their people, and they came to
them with manifestations: but they would not believe in what they
had denied before: thus do we put a seal upon the hearts of the
transgressors.
Then sent we, after them, Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his nobles
with our signs; but they were puffed up and were a sinful folk.
And when the truth came to them from us, they said, “This is clear
sorcery indeed.”
Moses said, “Say ye of the truth when it is come to you, Is this
sorcery?--but sorcerers shall not prosper.”
They said, “Art thou come to us to hinder us from what we found
our fathers in, and in order that for you twain there shall be
majesty in the land? but we are not going to believe in you!”
And Pharaoh said, “Fetch me every wise sorcerer.” And when the
sorcerers came, Moses said to them, “Cast down what ye have to
cast.”
And when they had cast them down, Moses said, “What ye come with is
sorcery: verily God will make it vain; aye, God doth not prosper
the work of evildoers;
And God will establish the truth by his word, though loth be the
sinners.”
And none believed in Moses but the children of his own folk, for
fear of Pharaoh and his nobles, lest he should afflict them: for
of a truth Pharaoh was mighty in the earth, and verily he was of
the transgressors.
And Moses said, “O my people! if ye believe in God, put your trust
in Him, if ye are resigned.”
And they said, “In God do we put our trust. O our Lord, make us not
a trial to the folk of the wicked,
And deliver us in Thy mercy from the folk of the unbelievers.”
Then revealed we to Moses and to his brother: “Build houses for
your people in Egypt, and make your houses with a Kibla, and
perform prayer, and give good tidings to the believers.”
And Moses said, “O our Lord, thou hast indeed given to Pharaoh and
his nobles adornments and riches in the life of this world: O
our Lord! may they err from thy way; O our Lord, confound their
riches, and harden their hearts, so shall they not believe until
they see the aching torment.”
God said: “Your prayer is heard, then stand ye upright, and follow
not the path of those who know not.”
And we brought the Children of Israel across the sea; and Pharaoh
and his host followed them, eager and hostile, until when
drowning overtook him he said, “I believe that there is no God
but He in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am one of
the resigned.”
“Now! thou hast been rebellious aforetime, and wast one of the
evildoers,
This day will we raise thee in thy flesh, to be a sign to those who
come after thee: but verily many men are heedless of our signs!”
Moreover we lodged the Children of Israel in a firm abode, and
provided them with good things: and they did not differ until the
knowledge came to them; verily thy Lord will decide between them
on the Day of Resurrection concerning that on which they differed.

And if thou art in doubt of what we have sent down to thee, inquire
of those who read the Scriptures before thee. Now hath truth come
unto thee from thy Lord: then be not thou of those who doubt,
Neither be of those who deny the signs of God lest thou be among
the losers.
Verily they against whom the word of thy Lord is passed shall not
believe,--
Though there came unto them every kind of sign,--till they behold
the aching torment.
Else any city had believed, and its faith had benefited it:--save
the people of JONAH; when they believed, we took away from them
the torment of shame in the life of this world, and provided for
them awhile.
But if thy Lord pleased, verily all who are in the earth had
believed together. Then canst thou compel men to become believers?
It is not in a soul to believe but by the permission of God: and He
shall lay His curse on those who have no wits.
Say: Look upon that which is in the heavens and in the earth: but
signs and warners avail not a folk that will not believe!
What then can they expect but the like of the days of those who
passed away before them? Say: Wait ye,--I too am waiting with you.
Then will we deliver our apostles and those who believe: thus is it
binding on us to deliver the faithful.
Say: O ye people! if ye are in doubt of my religion, I do not
worship those whom ye worship beside God; but I worship God, who
taketh you away; and I am commanded to be of the faithful.
And set thy face towards religion as a Hanīf, and be not of those
idolaters:
And invoke not beside God that which can neither help nor hurt; for
if thou do, thou wilt certainly be of the wicked.
And if God touch thee with affliction, there is none to remove it
but He. And if He desire thy good, there is none to hinder His
bounty--He will confer it on whom He pleaseth of his servants:
and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful!
Say: O ye people! now hath truth come unto you from your Lord; then
he who is guided, is guided only for his own behoof: but he who
erreth doth err only against himself; and I am no governor over
you!
And follow what is revealed to thee: and be patient till God
judgeth; and He is the best of judges.

(x.)

THE THUNDER.

_In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful._

A. L. M. R. These are the Signs of the Book! and that which was
sent down to thee from thy Lord is the truth: but most men do not
believe.
It is God who raised the heavens without pillars that ye can see;
then ascended the Throne, and subdued the sun and the moon: each
runneth to its appointed goal, to rule every thing, to manifest
signs. Haply ye will be convinced of meeting your Lord!
And it is He who spread out the earth, and put thereon firm
mountains, and rivers; and of every fruit He hath made therein
two kinds: He maketh the night to cover the day; verily in that
are signs for reflecting folk.
And on the earth are neighbouring tracts, and gardens of grapes,
and corn, and palms clustered and not clustered at the root;
they are watered by the same water, yet we make some better than
others for food: verily in that are signs for folk that have
wits.
If ever thou dost wonder, wonderful is their saying, “What! when we
have become dust, shall we indeed become a new creation?”
These are they who disbelieve in their Lord: and these shall have
the shackles on their necks, and these shall be the inmates of
the fire to abide therein for ever.
They will bid thee hasten evil rather than good: examples have
passed away before them; and verily thy Lord is full of
forgiveness unto men despite their iniquity; and verily thy Lord
is heavy in punishing.
And they who disbelieve say, “Unless a sign be sent down to him
from his Lord ...” Thou art but a warner, and to every people its
guide.
God knoweth what every woman beareth, and the decrease of the wombs
and the increase; for the pattern of all things is with Him,
Who knoweth the hidden and the seen, the Great, the Most High.
Equal is he of you who concealeth his words and he that proclaimeth
them: he who hideth by night, and he who goeth abroad by day.
Each hath angels before him and behind him, who watch over him by
God’s command. Verily God doth not change towards a people, till
they change themselves; and when God willeth evil unto a people,
there is no averting it, nor have they any protector beside Him.

It is He who showeth you the lightning for fear and hope [of rain],
and gathereth the lowering clouds,
And the THUNDER magnifieth His praise, and the angels, for awe of
Him, and He sendeth His thunderbolts and smiteth therewith whom
He pleaseth:--and they are wrangling about God! but strong is His
might!
Unto Him is the true cry: but those whom they cry to beside Him
shall answer them naught save as one who stretcheth forth his
hands to the water that it may reach his mouth, but it doth not
reach it! The cry of the unbelievers is but in error.
And unto God bow down all things in the heavens and the earth,
willingly or unwillingly, and their shadows at morn and eve!

Say: Who is Lord of the heavens and the earth? Say: God. Say: Why
then have ye taken beside Him Patrons who are powerless for weal
or woe to themselves? Say: What! are the blind and the seeing
alike? or are darkness and light the same? or have they made
Partners for God, who create as He creates, so that they confuse
the creation? Say: God is the Creator of all things, He is the
One, the Conqueror.
He sendeth down water from heaven; and the valleys flow in their
degree, and the torrent beareth along foaming froth, and from
the [ore] which they burn in the fire, desiring ornaments or
necessaries, a scum like it ariseth. So doth God liken truth and
falsehood. As to the scum it passeth off as refuse, and as to
what profiteth man it remaineth on the earth. Thus doth God frame
parables. For those who respond to their Lord, good; but those
who respond not to Him, had they all that the earth containeth
and its like beside it, they would surely give it in ransom:
these shall have an evil reckoning, and Hell shall be their
home,--and wretched the bed!
Is he who knoweth that what hath been sent down to thee from thy
Lord is naught but the truth, like to him who is blind? but men
of understanding alone will mind,
Who fulfil their covenant with God and break not the compact;
And who join what God hath bidden to be joined, and who fear their
Lord and dread the evil reckoning;
And who are patient, seeking the face of their Lord, and perform
prayer and give alms secretly and openly of what we have provided
them, and turn away evil with good: for these is the reward of
the Abode,--
Gardens of eternity, into which they shall enter together with
those who were just of their fathers and their wives and their
offspring: and the angels shall go in unto them at every gate
[saying]:--
“Peace be upon you! because ye were patient.” And pleasant is the
reward of the Abode!
But those who break God’s covenant after they have pledged it, and
cut asunder what God hath bidden to be joined, and work iniquity
in the earth, for these is a curse and a sore abode!

God is lavish with provision to whom He pleaseth, or He stinteth
it. And they rejoice in the life of this world; but the life of
this world is but a passing joy to the life to come.
And they who disbelieve say, “Unless a sign be sent down to him
from his Lord ...” Say: God truly misleadeth whom He will; and He
guideth to himself those who repent,
Who believe, and whose hearts are at peace in the remembrance of
God! yea, in the remembrance of God shall the hearts be at peace
of those who believe and do the things that are right--good
betide them, and happy be their goal!
Thus have we sent thee among a nation, before whom other nations
have passed away, that thou mayest tell them what we have
inspired thee with: yet they disbelieve in the Merciful! Say: He
is my Lord--there is no God but Him. In Him do I put my trust,
and unto Him is my return.
Though there were a Korān by which the mountains were removed or
the earth cloven or the dead given speech--Nay! to God belongeth
the rule in all: know not they who believe, that if God pleased,
He would certainly have guided men in all?

And calamity shall not cease to befal the unbelievers for what they
have done, or settle hard by their dwellings, until the promise
of God shall come to pass. Verily God will not fail in what He
promised.
Before thee apostles have been mocked at--and long I suffered those
who disbelieved; then I took hold of them; and how great was my
punishment!
Who then is he that is standing over every soul to mark what it
hath earned? Yet they made Partners with God! Say: Name them!
could ye inform him of what He knoweth not in the earth, or are
they aught beyond words? Nay, their artifice commended itself to
those who disbelieve; and they are turned aside from the road;
and whom God misleadeth, he hath no guide.
Torment is theirs in the life of this world, and assuredly the
torment of the world to come shall be worse, and they shall have
no one to ward them from God.

A likeness of the Paradise which is promised to those that fear
God:--The rivers flow beneath it; its food and its shades are
everlasting. That is the end of those who fear God: but the end
of the unbelievers is the Fire.

They to whom we have given the Book rejoice in what hath been sent
down to thee, yet some of the confederates deny a part of it.
Say: I am commanded only to worship God, and not to associate any
with Him: on Him I cry, and unto Him is my goal.
Thus have we sent down the Korān as an Arabic judgment; and
assuredly, if thou followed their desires after the knowledge had
come to thee, thou shouldst have no protector nor warder against
God.
And we have sent apostles before thee, and gave them wives and
offspring. But to no apostle was it given to bring a sign save by
God’s permission: to each age its Book.
God wipeth out or confirmeth what He pleaseth, and with Him is the
Mother of the Book.
And whether we show thee somewhat of that which we promised them,
or take thee hence before; verily, it is thine to announce only,
and ours to take account.
See they not that we come into the land and cut down its chiefs?
And when God judgeth, there is none to reverse His sentence: and
He is swift to reckon.
And those who were before them plotted: but God’s is the master
plot: He knoweth what every one soul earneth, and the infidels
shall know for whom is the reward of the abode.
And those who disbelieve shall say, “Thou art not sent from God.”
Say: God is witness enough between me and you, and he that hath
knowledge of the Book.

(xii.)

THE SPEECHES OF MEDINA

THE PERIOD OF HARANGUE

_Aet._ 53-63
A.H. 1-11 = A.D. 622-632

DECEPTION.

_In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful._

All that is in the heavens, and all that is in the earth,
magnifieth God: His is the kingdom, His is the praise, and He is
powerful over all things.
It is He who hath created you; and one of you is an unbeliever, and
another a believer; and God seeth what ye do.
He created the heavens and the earth in truth; and He hath
fashioned you and made goodly your forms; and to Him is your
journeying.
He knoweth what is in the heavens and the earth; and He knoweth
what ye hide and what ye manifest; and God knoweth well the
secrets of the breast.

Hath not the story come to you of those who disbelieved aforetime,
and tasted the evil fruit of their doings, and received an aching
torment?
That was because when their apostles had come to them with
manifestations, they said, “Shall mortal men guide us?” And they
believed not and turned their backs. But God had no need of them;
and God is Self-sufficient and worthy to be praised!
The unbelievers pretend that they shall by no means be raised
again. Say: Nay, by my Lord, but ye shall be raised; then shall
ye certainly be told of what ye have done: and that is easy with
God.
Believe then in God and His Apostle, and in the light which we have
sent down; for God knoweth perfectly what ye do.
The day when He shall gather you together for the Day of Assembly,
that is the day of DECEPTION. And whoso believeth in God and
doeth that which is right, God shall take away his sins, and He
will bring him into the gardens beneath which rivers flow, to
dwell there evermore: that is the great prize!
But those who believe not, but deny our signs--those shall be the
inmates of the fire, to dwell therein for ever; and evil is their
journey.
There happeneth no misfortune but by God’s permission; and whoso
believeth in God, He guideth his heart; and God knoweth all
things.
Obey God, therefore, and obey the Apostle: but if ye turn away, our
Apostle is only charged with a plain message:--
God, there is no God but He! Then in God let the faithful trust.
O ye who believe! verily in your wives and your children ye have an
adversary, wherefore beware of them. But if ye relent and pardon
and forgive, then verily God too is Forgiving and Merciful.
Your wealth and your children are but a snare: but God, with Him is
the great reward.
Then fear God with all your might, and hear and obey, and give
alms for your own sakes; and whoso is saved from his own
covetousness,--these it is who prosper.
If ye lend God a good loan, He will double it to you, and will
forgive you: for God is Grateful, Mild,
Knowing the secret and the open; the Mighty, the Wise!

(lxiv.)

IRON.

_In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful._

All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifieth God, and He is
the Mighty, the Wise.
His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, He giveth life and
giveth death, and He is powerful over all things.
He is the first and the last, the seen and the unseen, and all
things doth He know.
It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then
ascended the Throne; He knoweth what goeth into the earth and
what cometh out of it, and what cometh down from the sky and what
riseth up into it; and He is with you, wherever ye be; and God
seeth what ye do.
His is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and to God shall
all things return.
He maketh the night to follow the day, and He maketh the day to
follow the night, and He knoweth the secrets of the breast.

Believe in God and His apostle, and give alms of what He hath made
you to inherit; for to those of you who believe and give alms
shall be a great reward.
What aileth you that ye do not believe in God and His Apostle who
calleth you to believe in your Lord? He hath already accepted
your covenant if ye believe.
It is He who hath sent down to His servant manifest signs to lead
you from darkness into light: for God is indeed kind and merciful
towards you.
And what aileth you that ye give not alms in the path of God, when
God’s is the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Those of
you who give before the victory, and fight, shall not be deemed
equal,--they are of nobler degree than those who give afterwards
and fight. Yet to all hath God promised the beauteous reward; and
God knoweth what ye do.
Who is he who will lend God a good loan?--He will double it for
him, and his shall be a noble recompense.

The day ye shall see the faithful, men and women, their light
running in front and on their right hand--“Glad tidings for you
this day!--gardens whereunder rivers flow, to abide therein for
ever:” that is the great prize!
The day when the hypocrites, men and women, will say to those who
believe, “Stay for us, that we may kindle our light from yours.”
It shall be said, “Go back and find a light.” And there shall
be set up between them a wall, with a gate in it; and inside,
within it, shall be Mercy, and outside, in front of it, Torment!
They shall cry out, “Were we not with you?” The others shall say,
“Yea! but ye fell into temptation, and waited, and doubted, and
your desires deceived you, till the behest of God came,--and the
arch-tempter beguiled you from God.”
And on that day no ransom shall be accepted from you, nor from
those who disbelieved--your goal is the Fire, which is your
master; and evil is the journey thereto.
Hath not the Hour come to those who believe, to humble their hearts
to the warning of God and the truth which He hath sent down?
and that they may not be like those who received the Scripture
aforetime, whose lives were prolonged, but their hearts were
hardened, and many of them were disobedient.
Know that God quickeneth the earth after its death: now have we
made clear to you the signs,--haply ye have wits!
Verily the charitable, both men and women, and they who lend God
a good loan, it shall be doubled to them, and theirs shall be a
noble recompense.
And they who believe in God and His Apostle, these are the
truth-tellers and the witnesses before their Lord: they have
their reward and their light. And they who disbelieve and deny
our signs--these are the inmates of Hell!
Know that the life of this world is but a game and pastime and show
and boast among you; and multiplying riches and children is like
rain, whose vegetation delighteth the infidels--then they wither
away, and thou seest them all yellow, and they become chaff. And
in the life to come is grievous torment,
Or else forgiveness from God and His approval: but the life of this
world is naught but a delusive joy.
Strive together for forgiveness from your Lord and Paradise, whose
width is as the width of heaven and earth, prepared for those who
believe in God and in His Apostle. That is the grace of God! who
giveth it to whom He pleaseth; and God is the fount of boundless
grace.
There happeneth no misfortune on the earth or to yourselves, but it
is written in the Book before we created it: verily that is easy
to God!--
That ye may not grieve over what is beyond you, nor exult over what
cometh to you; for God loveth not any presumptuous boasters,
Who are covetous and commend covetousness to men. But whoso turneth
away,--verily God is Rich and worthy to be praised.
We sent Our Apostles with manifestations, and We sent down by them
the Book and the Balance, that men might stand upright in equity,
and We sent down IRON, wherein is great strength and uses for
men,--and that God might know who would help Him and His Apostles
in secret: verily God is strong and mighty.
And we sent Noah and Abraham, and we gave their seed prophecy
in the Scripture: and some of them are guided, but many are
disobedient.
Then we sent our apostles in their footsteps, and we sent Jesus the
Son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel, and put in the hearts of
those that follow him kindness and pitifulness; but monkery, they
invented it themselves! We prescribed it not to them--save only
to seek the approval of God, but they did not observe this with
due observance. Yet we gave their reward to those of them that
believed, but many of them were transgressors.
O ye who believe, fear God and believe in His Apostle; He will
give you a double portion of His mercy, and will set you a light
to walk by, and will forgive you: for God is forgiving and
merciful:--
That the People of the Scripture may know that they have not power
over aught of God’s grace; and that grace is in the hands of God
alone, who giveth to whom He pleaseth: and God is the fount of
boundless grace.

(lvii.)

THE VICTORY.

_In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful._