History of the World/History of the World (Bureau Development, Inc.)(1992).BIN/dp/0247/02474.txt

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$Title{Koran (Qu'ran)
[XCVII.] Part II.}
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$Author{Allah}
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Title:       Koran (Qu'ran)
Author:      Allah

[XCVII.] Part II.

Sura III. - The Family Of Imran

     God doth not command you to take the angels or the prophets as lords. ^1
What! would he command you to become infidels after ye have been Muslims?

[Footnote 1: That is, to call them rabb - a title due only to God.]

     When God entered into covenant with the prophets, ^2 he said, "This is
the Book and the Wisdom which I give you.  Hereafter shall a prophet came
unto you to confirm the Scriptures already with you.  Ye shall surely believe
on him, and ye shall surely aid him.  Are ye resolved?" said he, "and do ye
accept the covenant on these terms?"  They said, "We are resolved;" "Be ye
then the witnesses," said he, " and I will be a witness as well as you.

[Footnote 2: Assembled on Mount Sinai.  Compare the Jewish legend, that all
the prophets, even those who were not yet born, were present on Mount Sinai,
when God gave the law to Moses.  See Shemoth Rabba.  Parashah 28, according
to which, not only the Prophets but the Rabbis of every generation, were
present at the giving of the Law.]

     And whoever turneth back after this, these are surely the perverse."

     Other religion than that of God desire they?  To him doth everything
that is in the Heavens and in the Earth submit, in willing or forced
obedience! and to Him do they return.

     Say: We believe in God, and in what hath been sent down to us, and what
hath been sent down to Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the
tribes, and in what was given to Moses, and Jesus, and the Prophets, from
their Lord.  We make no difference between them.  And to Him are we resigned
(Muslims).

     Whoso desireth any other religion than Islam, that religion shall never
be accepted from him, and in the next world he shall be among the lost.

     How shall God guide a people who, after they had believed and bore
witness that the apostle was true, and after that clear proofs of his mission
had reached them, disbelieved?  God guideth not the people who transgress.

     These! their recompense, that the curse of God, and of angels, and of
all men, is on them!

     Under it shall they abide for ever; their torment shall not be assuaged!
or shall God even look upon them! -

     Save those who after this repent and amend; for verily God is Gracious,
Merciful!

     As for those who become infidels, after having believed, and then
increase their infidelity - their repentance shall never be accepted.  These!
hey are the erring ones.

     As for those who are infidels, and die infidels, from no one of them
shall as much gold as the earth could contain be accepted, though he should
offer it in ransom.  These! a grievous punishment awaiteth them; and they
shall have none to help them.

     Ye shall never attain to goodness till ye give alms of that which ye
love; and whatever ye give, of a truth God knoweth it.

     All food was allowed to the children of Israel, except what Jacob forbad
himself, ere the law was sent down; Say: Bring ye then the law and read it,
if ye be men of truth.

     And whoso after this inventeth the lie about God: - These are evil
doers.

     Say: God speaketh truth.  Follow, therefore, the religion of Abraham,
the sound in faith, who was not one of those who joined other gods to God.

     The first temple that was founded for mankind, was that in
Becca, ^1 - Blessed, and a guidance to human beings.

[Footnote 1: Becca, place of crowding, i.e. Mecca.  This sentence, together
with other Suras - the Cave, Mary, Imran, Repentance, T, H, are woven into
the Kiswah or covering of the Caaba, which is renewed annually.]

     In it are evident signs, even the standing-place ^2 of Abraham: and he
who entereth it is safe.  And the pilgrimage to the temple, is a service due
to God from those who are able to journey thither.

[Footnote 2: The Makam Ibrahim (praying place of Abraham) is a small building
supported by six pillars about 8 ft. high, four of which are surrounded from
top to bottom by a fine iron railing, while they leave the space between the
two hind pillars open; within the railing is a frame about 5 ft. square, said
to contain the sacred stone on which Ibrahim stood when he built the Caaba.
Burckhardt.  Lieut. Burton (Pilgrimage, iii. 336) says that as the Arab
tradition speaks clearly and consistently as to the fact of Abraham having
visited Mecca to build the Caaba, it may be considered an open question.
Thus also Dr. G. W. Freytag (Einl.).]

     And as to him who believeth not - verily God can afford to dispense with
all creatures!

     Say: O people of the Book! why disbelieve ye the signs of God?  But God
is witness of your doings.

     Say: O people of the Book! why repel believers from the way of God?  Ye
fain would make it crooked, and yet ye are its witnesses!  But God is not
regardless of what ye do.

     O believers! if ye obey some amongst those who have received the
Scripture, after your very Faith will they make you infidels!

     But how can ye become infidels, when the signs of God are recited to
you, and his prophet is among you?  Whoever holdeth fast by God, is already
guided to a straight path.

     O ye believers! fear God as He deserveth to be feared! and die not till
ye have become Muslims.

     And hold ye fast by the cord ^1 of God, all of you, and break not loose
from it; and remember God's goodness towards you, how that when ye were
enemies, He united your hearts, and by his favour ye became brethren;

[Footnote 1: The Koran.]

     And when ye were on the brink of the pit of fire, he drew you back from
it.  Thus God clearly sheweth you his signs that ye may be guided;

     And that there may be among you a people who invite to the Good, and
enjoin the Just, and forbid the Wrong.  These are they with whom it shall be
well.

     And be ye not like those who have formed divisions, and fallen to
variance after the clear proofs have come to them.  These! a terrible
chastisement doth await them,

     On the day when faces shall turn white, and faces shall turn black!  And
as to those whose faces shall have turned black "....  What! after your
belief have ye become infidels?  Taste then the chastisement, for that ye
have been unbelievers."

     And as to those whose faces shall have become white, they shall be
within the mercy of God: therein shall they abide for ever.

     These are the signs of God: we recite them to thee in truth: And God
willeth not injustice to mankind.

     Whatever is in the Heavens, and whatever is on the Earth, is God's.  And
to God shall all things return.

     Ye are the best folk that hath been raised up unto mankind.  Ye enjoin
the Just, and ye forbid the Evil, and ye believe in God: And if the people of
the Book had believed, it had surely been better for them!  Believers there
are among them, but most of them are perverse.

     They will never inflict on you but a trifling damage; and if they do
battle with you, they shall turn their backs to you: then they shall not be
succoured.

     Shame shall be stamped upon them ^2 wherever found, unless they ally them
with God and men!  And the wrath of God will they incur, and poverty shall be
stamped upon them!  This - for that they believed not in the signs of God,
and slew the prophets unjustly: This - because they rebelled, and became
transgressors.

[Footnote 2: Or. they are smitten with.  Sale.  S'etendra comme une tente.
Kas.]

     Yet all are not alike: Among the people of the Book is an upright folk,
who recite the signs of God in the night-season, and adore:

     They believe in God and in the latter day, and enjoin justice, and
forbid evil, and speed on in good works.  These are of the righteous.

     And of whatever good ye do, ye shall not be denied the meed.  God
knoweth those who fear Him.

     But as for the infidels, their wealth, and their children shall avail
them nothing against God.  They shall be the inmates of the fire, to abide
therein eternally.

     The alms which they bestow in this present life, are like a freezing
wind, which falleth upon and destroyeth the cornfields of a people who have
been to themselves unjust.  God doeth them no injustice, but to themselves
are they unjust.

     O ye who have believed! form not intimacies among others than
yourselves.  They will not fail to corrupt you.  They long for your ruin.
Hatred hath already shewn itself out of their mouths, but more grievous is
what their breasts conceal.  The tokens thereof we have already made plain to
you, if ye will comprehend.

     See now! ye love them, but they love not you.  Ye believe the entire
Book.  And when they meet you, they say, "We believe;" but when they are
apart, they bite their fingers' ends at you, out of wrath.  Say: "Die in your
wrath!"  God truly knoweth the very recesses of your breasts.

     If good befalleth you it grieveth them, and when ill lighteth on you,
they rejoice in it.  But if ye be steadfast and fear God, their craft shall
in no way harm you.  For God is round about their doings.

     And remember when thou didst leave thy household at early morn, that
thou mightest prepare the faithful a camp for the war; ^1 - God heard, knew
it -

[Footnote 1: This probably refers to the battle of Ohod.]

     When two troops of you became full of anxious thoughts, and lost heart,
and when God became the protector of both!  In God, then, let the faithful
trust.

     God had already succoured you at Bedr, when ye were the weaker!  Fear
God, then, that ye may be thankful.

     Then thou didst say to the faithful, "Is it not enough for you that your
Lord aideth you with three thousand angels sent down from on high?"

     Aye: but if ye be steadfast and fear God, and the foe come upon you in
hot haste, your Lord will help you with five thousand angels in their
cognisances! ^1

[Footnote 1: The Arabic word occurs at verse 13 of horses as known by certain
marks.  So here these angels would be known by their accoutrements, etc.]

     This, as pure good tidings for you, did God appoint, that your hearts
might be assured - for only from God, the Mighty, the Wise, cometh the
Victory - and that He might cut off the uttermost part of those who believed
not, or cast them down so that they should be overthrown, defeated without
resource.

     It is none of thy concern whether He be turned unto them in kindness or
chastise them: for verily they are wrongful doers.

     Whatever is in the Heavens and the Earth is God's!  He forgiveth whom He
will, and whom He will, chastiseth: for God is Forgiving, Merciful.

     O ye who believe! devour not usury, doubling it again and again!  But
fear God, that ye may prosper.

     And fear the fire which is prepared for them that believe not; and obey
God and the apostle, that ye may find mercy:

     And vie in haste for pardon from your Lord, and a Paradise, vast as the
Heavens and the Earth, prepared for the Godfearing.

     Who give alms, alike in prosperity and in success, and who master their
anger, and forgive others!  God loveth the doers of good.

     They who, after they have done a base deed or committed a wrong against
their own selves, remember God and implore forgiveness of their sins - and
who will forgive sins but God only? - and persevere not in what they have
wittingly done amiss.

     As for these!  Pardon from their Lord shall be their recompense, and
gardens 'neath which the rivers flow; for ever shall they abide therein: And
goodly the reward of those who labour!

     Already, before your time, have examples been made!  Traverse the earth,
then, and see what hath been the end of those who treat prophets as liars.

     This Koran is a manifesto to man, and a guidance, and a warning to the
God-fearing!

     And be not fainthearted, and be not sorrowful: For ye shall gain the
upper hand if ye be believers. ^2

[Footnote 2: This and the following verses to 154 were probably revealed
shortly after the reverse of Ohod.]

     If a wound hath befallen you, a wound like it hath already befallen
others: we alternate these days of successes and reverses among men, that God
may know those who have believed, and that He may take martyrs from among
you, - but God loveth not the wrongful doers -

     And that God may test those who believe, and destroy the infidels.

     Thought ye that ye should enter Paradise ere God had taken knowledge of
those among you who did valiantly, and of those who steadfastly endure?

     Ye had desired death ere ye met it.  But ye have now seen it - and ye
have beheld it - and fled from it!

     Muhammad is no more than an apostle; other apostles have already passed
away before him: if he die, therefore, ^1 or be slain, will ye turn upon your
heels? ^2  But he who turneth on his heels shall not injure God at all: And
God will certainly reward the thankful!

[Footnote 1: This verse and xxxix. 31 (p. 257) were recited at Muhammad's
death by Abu Bekr, in order to convince Omar and the other Muslims of the
possibility of that event.  It has been supposed that these passages were
invented by Abu Bekr on this occasion, and inserted into the Koran.  But this
is more than doubtful.  See Noldeke, pp. 199-201.]

[Footnote 2: That is, return to idolatry.  A report had been spread in the
battle of Ohod that Muhammad had been slain.]

     No one can die except by God's permission, according to the Book that
fixeth the term of life. ^3  He who desireth the recompense of this world, we
will give him thereof; And he who desireth the recompense of the next life,
we will give him thereof!  And we will certainly reward the
thankful.

[Footnote 3: Lit. according to a writing (i.e. of God) definite.  The Rabbins
also teach (Com. Tract. Rosch. Haschanah) that there are books in which God
has written down the lifetime of every individual.  Lit. No soul can die.]

     How many a prophet hath combated those who had with them many myriads!
Yet were they not daunted at what befel them on the path of God, nor were
they weakened, nor did they basely submit!  God loveth those who endure with
steadfastness,

     Nor said they more than this: ^4 "O our Lord! forgive us our sins and our
mistakes in this our work; and set our feet firm; and help us against the
unbelieving people."  And God gave them the recompense of this world, and the
excellence of the recompense of the next.  For God loveth the doers of what
is excellent.

[Footnote 4: Lit. and their saying was no other than that they said.]

     O ye who have believed! if ye obey the infidels, they will cause you to
turn upon your heels, ^1 and ye will fall back into perdition:

[Footnote 1: To relapse into infidelity.  The Koreisch attempted to seduce
the Muslims to renounce their faith after the battle of Ohod.]

But God is your liege lord, and He is the best of helpers.

     We will cast a dread into hearts of the infidels because they have
joined gods with God without warranty sent down; their abode shall be the
fire; and wretched shall be the mansion of the evil doers.

     Already had God made good to you His promise, when by His permission ye
destroyed your foes, until your courage failed you, and ye disputed about the
order, ^2 and disobeyed, after that the Prophet had brought you within view of
that for which ye longed. ^3

[Footnote 2: The command to abstain from taking the spoils.  This disobedience
turned the scale of victory against the Muslims.]

[Footnote 3: Victory and plunder.]

     Some of you were for this world, and some for the next. ^4  Then, in
order to make trial of you, He turned you to flight from them, - yet hath He
now forgiven you; for all-bounteous is God to the faithful -

[Footnote 4: Some took to flight, others stood firm, and were not careful of
their lives.]

     When ye came up the height ^5 and took no heed of any one, while the
Prophet in your rear was calling you to the fight!  God hath rewarded you
with trouble upon trouble, that ye might learn not to be chagrined at your
loss of booty, or at what befel you!  God is acquainted with your
actions.

[Footnote 5: That is, in confused rout.]

     Then after the trouble God sent down security upon you.  Slumber fell
upon a part of you: as to the other part - their own passions stirred them up
to think unjustly of God with thoughts of ignorance!  They said - What gain
we by this affair?  Say: Verily the affair resteth wholly with God.  They hid
in their minds what they did not speak out to thee, saying, "Were we to have
gained aught in this affair, none of us had been slain at this place."  Say:
Had ye remained in your homes, they who were decreed to be slain would have
gone forth to the places where they lie: - in order that God might make trial
of what was in your breasts, and might discover what was in your hearts, for
God knoweth the very secrets of the breast.

     Of a truth it was Satan alone who caused those of you to fail in duty
who turned back on the day when the hosts met, for some of their doings!  But
now hath God pardoned them; For God is Forgiving, Gracious.

     O ye who believe! be not like the infidels, who said of their brethren
when they had travelled by land or had gone forth to war, "Had they kept with
us, they had not died, and had not been slain!"  God purposed that this
affair should cause them heart sorrow!  God maketh alive and killeth; and God
beholdeth your actions.

     And if ye shall be slain or die on the path of God, then pardon from God
and mercy is better than all your amassings;

     For if ye die or be slain, verily unto God shall ye be gathered.

     Of the mercy of God thou hast spoken to them in gentle terms.  Hadst
thou been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from thee.
Therefore, forgive and ask for pardon for them, and consult them in the
affair of war, and when thou art resolved, then put thou thy trust in God,
for God loveth those who trust in Him.

     If God help you, none shall overcome you; but if He abandon you, who is
he that shall help you when He is gone?  In God, then, let the faithful
trust.

     It is not the Prophet who will defraud you; ^1 - But he who shall
defraud, shall come forth with his defraudings on the day of the
resurrection: then shall every soul be paid what it hath merited, and they
shall not be treated with injustice.

[Footnote 1: Muhammad had been accused of having secretly appropriated a
portion of the spoil.]

     Shall he who hath followed the good pleasure of God be as he who hath
brought on himself wrath from God, and whose abode shall be Hell? and
wretched the journey thither!

     There are varying grades with God: and God beholdeth what ye do.

     Now hath God been gracious to the faithful, when he raised up among them
an apostle out of their own people, to rehearse unto them his signs, and to
cleanse them, and to give them knowledge of the Book and of Wisdom: for
before they were in manifest error.

     When a reverse hath befallen you, ^2 the like of which ye had before
inflicted, say ye, "Whence is this?"  Say: It is from yourselves.  For God
hath power over all things.

[Footnote 2: At Ohod.]

     And that which befel you on the day when the armies met, was certainly
by the will of God, and that he might know the faithful, and that he might
know the hypocrites!  And when the word was "Advance, fight on the path of
God, or drive back the foe," - they said, "Had we known how to fight, we
would have followed you."  Nearer were some of them on that day to unbelief,
than to faith:

     They said with their lips what was not in their hearts!  But God knew
what they concealed,

     Who said of their brethren while themselves sat at home, "Had they
obeyed us, they had not been slain."  Say: Keep back death from yourselves if
ye speak truth.

     And repute not those slain on God's path to be dead. ^1  Nay, alive with
their Lord, are they richly sustained;

[Footnote 1: See Sura [xci.] ii. 149.]

     Rejoicing in what God of his bounty hath vouchsafed them, filled with
joy for those who follow after them, but have not yet overtaken them, that on
them nor fear shall come, nor grief;

     Filled with joy at the favours of God, and at his bounty: and that God
suffereth not the reward of the faithful to perish.

     As to those who after the reverse ^2 which befel them, respond to God and
the Apostle - such of them as do good works and fear God, shall have a great
reward:

[Footnote 2: At Ohod; lit. wound.]

     Who, when men said to them, "Now are the Meccans mustering against you;
therefore fear them!" it only increased their faith, and they said, "Our
sufficiency is God, and He is an excellent protector."

     They returned, therefore, with the favour of God, enriched by Him, and
untouched by harm; and they followed what was well pleasing to God.  And God
is of great Munificence.

     Only would that Satan ^3 instil the fear of his adherents: Fear them not,
but fear me if ye are believers.

[Footnote 3: Lit. that Satan.  Said to refer to Noaim, or Abu Sofian, the
leader of the Koreisch.]

     Let not those who vie in haste after infidelity grieve thee: Verily not
one whit shall they injure God!  God will refuse them all part in the life to
come: a severe chastisement shall be their lot.

     They truly who purchase infidelity at the price of their faith, shall
not injure God one whit! and a grievous chastisement shall be their lot.

     Let not the infidels deem that the length of days we give them is good
for them!  We only give them length of days that they may increase their
sins! and a shameful chastisement shall be their lot.

     It is not in God to leave the faithful in the state in which they are,
until he sever the bad from the good:

     Nor is God minded to lay open the secret things to you, but God chooseth
whom he will of his apostles to know them. ^1  Believe, therefore, in God and
his apostles: and if ye believe and fear God, a great reward awaiteth
you.

[Footnote 1: This is an answer to the taunt that Muhammad could not
distinguish true believers from hypocrites.]

     And let not those who are niggard of what God hath vouchsafed them in
his bounty, think that this will be good for them - Nay, it will be bad for
them -

     That of which they have been niggard shall be their collar on the day of
the resurrection.  God's, the heritage of the Heavens and of the Earth!  And
God is well-informed of all ye do.

     Now hath God heard the saying of those who said: "Aye, God is poor and
we are rich." ^2  We will surely write down their sayings, and their unjust
slaughter of the prophets; and we will say, "Taste ye the torment of the
burning.

[Footnote 2: This was the taunt of the Jews of the tribe of Kainoka, when
Muhammad demanded tribute of them in the name of God.]

     This, for what your hands have sent before you; and because God will not
inflict a wrong upon his servants!"

     To those who say, "Verily, God hath enjoined us that we are not to
credit an apostle until he present us a sacrifice which fire out of Heaven
shall devour,"

     Say: Already have apostles before me come to you with miracles, and with
that of which ye speak.  Wherefore slew ye them?  Tell me, if ye are men of
truth.

     And if they treat thee as a liar, then verily apostles have been treated
as liars before thee, though they came with clear proofs of their mission,
and with Scriptures, and with the light-giving Book.

     Every soul shall taste of death: and ye shall only receive your
recompenses on the day of resurrection.  And whoso shall scape the fire, and
be brought into Paradise, shall be happy.  And the life of this world is but
a cheating fruition!

     Ye shall assuredly be tried in your possessions and in yourselves.  And
many hurtful things shall ye assuredly hear from those to whom the Scriptures
were given before you, and from those who join other gods with God.  But if
ye be steadfast, and fear God - this verily is needed in the affairs of life.

     Moreover, when God entered into a covenant with those to whom the
Scriptures had been given, and said, "Ye shall surely make it known to
mankind and not hide it," they cast it behind their backs, and sold it for a
sorry price!  But vile is that for which they have sold it.

     Suppose not that they who rejoice in what they have brought to pass, and
love to be praised for what they have not done ^1 - suppose not they shall
escape the chastisement.  An afflictive chastisement doth await them,

[Footnote 1: That is, who rejoice in their successful corruptions of their
own sacred books, especially the testimony of Moses to Muhammad, and in their
own fancied righteousness.  Thus some of the commentators.]

     For the Kingdom of the Heavens and the Earth is God's, and God hath
power over all things.

     Verily, in the creation of the Heavens and of the Earth, and in the
succession of the night and of the day, are signs for men of understanding
heart;

     Who standing, and sitting, and reclining, bear God in mind, and muse on
the creation of the Heavens and of the Earth.  "O our Lord!" say they, "thou
hast not created this in vain.  No.  Glory be to Thee!  Keep us, then, from
the torment of the fire.

     O our Lord! surely thou wilt put him to shame whom thou shalt cause to
enter into the Fire, and the wrong-doers shall have none to help them.

     O our Lord! we have indeed heard the voice of one that called.  He
called us to the faith - 'Believe ye on your Lord' - and we have believed.

     O our Lord! forgive us then our sin, and hide away from us our evil
deeds, and cause us to die with the righteous.

     O our Lord! and give us what thou hast promised us by thine apostles,
and put us not to shame on the day of the resurrection.  Verily, Thou wilt
not fail thy promise."

     And their Lord answereth them, "I will not suffer the work of him among
you that worketh, whether of male or female, to be lost.  The one of you is
the issue of the other. ^2

[Footnote 2: Lit. some of you are from others.  These words were occasioned
by one of the Prophet's wives having told him that God often praised the men,
but not the women, who had fled their country for the faith.  Beidh.]

     And they who have fled their country and quitted their homes and
suffered in my cause, and have fought and fallen, I will blot out their sins
from them, and I will bring them into gardens beneath which the streams do
flow."

     A recompense from God! and God! with Him is the perfection of
recompense!

     Let not prosperity in the land ^1 on the part of those who believe not,
deceive thee.  'Tis but a brief enjoyment!  Then shall Hell be their abode;
and wretched the bed!

[Footnote 1: Lit. their movements, their comings and goings.  Hence, the
success of the Meccans in their trading journeys.  This may point to the
comparative freedom from trade and general independence of the Meccans after
the affair at Ohod.]

     But as to those who fear their Lord - for them are the gardens 'neath
which the rivers flow: therein shall they abide for aye.  Such their
reception with God - and that which is with God is best for the righteous.

     Among the people of the Book are those who believe in God, and in what
He hath sent down to you, and in what He hath sent down to them, humbling
themselves before God.  They barter not the signs of God for a mean price.

     These! their recompense awaiteth them with their Lord: aye!  God is
swift to take account.

     O ye who believe! be patient, and vie in patience, and be firm, and fear
God, that it may be well with you.