The Learning Curve/The Learning Curve (Weird Science, 1996).iso/religion/koran/xxxi.mecca

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                        THE CHAPTER OF LOQMAN

                            (XXXI. Mecca.)

     IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
     ALIF LAM MIM. These are the signs of the wise Book, a guidance and a
   mercy to those who do well, who are steadfast in prayer and give
   alms and who of the hereafter are sure; these are in guidance from
   their Lord, and these are the prosperous.
     And amongst men is one who buys sportive legends, to lead astray
   from God's path, without knowledge, and to make a jest of it; these,
   for them is shameful woe! And when our signs are recited to him, he
   turns his back, too big with pride, as though he heard them not,-as if
   in his two ears were dulness. But give to him glad tidings of grievous
   woe!
     Verily, those who believe and do right, for them are gardens of
   pleasure, to dwell therein for aye;-God's promise in truth, and He
   is wise.
     He created the heavens without pillars that ye can see, and He threw
   upon the earth firm mountains lest it should move with you; and He
   dispersed thereon every sort of beast; and we send down from the
   heavens water, and we caused to grow therein of every noble kind.
     This is God's creation; show me what others beside Him have
   created;-nay, the unjust are in obvious error!
     We did give unto Loqman wisdom, saying, 'Thank God; for he who
   thanks God is only thankful for his own soul; and he who is
   ungrateful- verily, God is independent, worthy of praise!'
     And when Loqman said to his son while admonishing him, 'O my boy!
   associate none with God, for, verily, such association is a mighty
   wrong.'-
     For we have commended his parents to man; his mother bore him with
   weakness upon weakness; and his weaning is in two years;-'Be
   thankful to me and to thy parents; for unto me shall your journey
   be. But if they strive with thee that thou shouldst associate with
   me that which thou hast no knowledge of, then obey them not. But
   associate with them in the world with kindness, and follow the way
   of him who turns repentant unto me; then unto me is your return, and I
   will inform you of that which ye have done!
     O my son! verily, if there were the weight of a grain of mustard
   seed and it were (hidden) in the rock, or in the heaven, or in the
   earth, God would bring it (to light). Verily, God is subtle, well
   aware!
     'O my son! be steadfast in prayer, and bid what is reasonable and
   forbid what is wrong; be patient of what befalls thee, verily, that is
   one of the determined affairs.
     'And twist not thy cheek proudly, nor walk in the land haughtily;
   verily, God loves not every arrogant boaster: but be moderate in thy
   walk, and lower thy voice; verily, the most disagreeable of voices
   is the voice of asses!'
     Have ye not seen that God has subjected to you what is in the
   heavens and what is in the earth, and has poured down upon you His
   favours, outwardly and inwardly? but amongst men are those who wrangle
   about God, without knowledge, and without guidance, and without an
   illuminating book!
     And when it is said to them, 'Follow what God has sent down;' they
   say, 'Nay! we will follow what we found our fathers agreed
   upon;'-what! though Satan calls them to the torment of the blaze?
     But he who resigns his face unto God, and does good, he has
   grasped the firm handle; unto God is the issue of affairs. But he
   who misbelieves, let not his misbelief grieve thee; to us is their
   return, and we will inform them of what they do;-for, verily, God
   knows the nature of men's breasts!
     We will let them enjoy themselves a little; then we will force
   them to rigorous woe!
     And if thou shouldst ask them who created the heavens and the earth,
   they will surely say, 'God.' Say, 'Praise be to God!' but most of them
   do not know.
     God's is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth; verily,
   God, He is the independent, worthy of praise.
     And were the trees that are in the earth pens, and the sea (ink)
   with seven more seas to swell its tide, the words of God would not
   be spent; verily, God is mighty, wise!
     Your creation and your rising again are but as that of one soul;
   verily, God both hears and sees!
     Dost thou not see that God joins on the night to the day, and
   joins on the day to the night, and has subjected the sun and the
   moon,-each of them runs on unto an appointed time? and that God of
   what ye do is well aware?
     That is because God, He is true, and because what ye call on
   beside Him is falsehood, and because God, He is the high, the great!
     Dost thou not see that the ship rides on in the sea by the favour of
   God, that He may show you of His signs? verily, in that are signs to
   every grateful person.
     And when a wave like shadows covers them, they call on God, being
   sincere in their religion; and when He saves them to the shore, then
   amongst them are some who halt between two opinions. But none gainsays
   our signs save every perfidious misbeliever.
     O ye folk! fear your Lord and dread the day when the father shall
   not atone for his son, nor shall the child atone aught for its parent.
     Verily, the promise of God is true! Say, 'Let not the life of this
   world beguile you; and let not the beguiler beguile you concerning
   God.'
     Verily, God, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour; and He sends
   down the rain; and He knows what is in the wombs; and no soul knows
   what it is that it shall earn to-morrow; and no soul knows in what
   land it shall die; verily, God is knowing, well aware!