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Those among the People of the Book and the associators [polytheists] were not to be set apart till the Demonstration should come to them, Namely, a messenger from Allah reciting purified pages In which are true Scriptures.¹ Those who were given the Book did not separate from one another till after the Demonstration had come to them. They were enjoined naught save that they should worship Allah, making religion exclusively His, as Hanifs, and to observe prayer and pay the legal alms, for that is the true religion. Verily those among the People of the Book and the associators who have disbelieved will be in the fire of Gehenna, therein to abide eternally. Such are the worst of creation, Whereas those who believe and perform righteous acts, they are the best of creation. Their recompense is with their Lord, Gardens of Eden beneath which rivers flow, therein to abide eternally for ever. Allah will be well-pleased with them and they well-pleased with Him. That is for whosoever fears his Lord.

¹ These purified sheets are commonly taken to be a reference to the heavenly archetype of Scripture, but elsewhere that is called a tablet, not sheets. The probability is that while in Medina Mohammed bad begun to write out the material for his Book, and so the reference here is to these "sheets," which he claims have on them Scripture material as truly as the sheets which make up the Books of the Jews and the Christians.

Whatsoever is m the heavens, and whatsoever is on earth, gives glory to Allah. His is the kingdom and His is the praise, and He is powerful over everything. He is the One Who created you, but some of you are unbelievers, and some of you are believers. Yet Allah is observant of what ye are doing. He created the heavens and the earth in truth, and not only formed you but made excellent your forms, and to Him is the journey back. He knows whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and He knows what ye keep secret and what ye reveal publicly. Indeed, Allah knows about the secrets of the breasts.

Has there not come to you the account of those who in former times disbelieved, and so tasted the grievousness of their affair? for theirs was a painful punishment. That was because their messengers had come to them with evident signs, but they said: "Is is that men will guide us?" So they disbelieved and turned their backs. But Allah could do without them, for Allah is rich, praiseworthy. Those who have dis-

believed claim that they will never be raised up, Say: "Yea, indeed, by my Lord, ye will assuredly be raised up; then ye will just as surely be informed about what ye have done. That is an easy thing for Allah." So believe in Allah and in His messenger and in the light that We have sent down. Allah is informed about what ye do. On the Day when He assembles you to the Day of Gathering, that is the Day of mutual deception. Then he who believes in Allah and acts righteously for him He will expiate his evil deeds, and make him enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, therein to abide eternally forever. That is the great felicity. But those who have disbelieved and counted Our signs false, those are the people of the Fire, therein to abide eternally, and how evil a destination!

No misfortune ever happens save by Allah's permission. He who believes in Allah, his heart will He guide, and Allah knows everything. So obey Allah and obey the messenger. If then ye turn your backs Our messenger is responsibly only for the clear proclamation of the message - "Allah, there is no deity save Him, so in Allah let the believers put their trust."

O ye who believe, in your wives and your children there is an enemy to you, so beware of them. However, if ye pass it over and pardon and forgive, Allah too is forgiving, compassionate. Your wealth and your children are only a trial, and Allah has with Him a wondrous reward. So show piety towards Allah as ye are able, to hearken and obey and make charitable contributions as something good for your soul, such are they who prosper. If ye lend Allah a goodly loan, He will increase it double for you and will forgive you, for Allah is grateful, kindly, He Who knows both the unseen and the seen, the Sublime, the Wise.

Verily We opened to them a manifest opening¹ [at Hudaibiyya] That Allah might forgive both thy former and thy latter sins, and might perfect His grace to thee, and guide thee in a straight path, And that Allah might aid thee with mighty succour. He is the One Who sent down the spirit of tranquility² into the hearts of the believers that they might have an increase of faith along with their faith, for Allah's are the armies of the heavens and the earth, for Allah is knowing, wise; That He may make the believers, male and female, enter gardens between which rivers flow, wherein they are to abide eternally, and that He may expiate for them their evil deeds, and that, with Allah, is the great felicity; And that He may punish the hypocrites, male and female, and the associators [polytheists], male and female, who think evil with regard to Allah. For them is a circuit of evil, for Allah is angered with them and has cursed them, and has prepared Gehenna for them - how evil a destination! Allah's are the armies of the heavens and the earth , or Allah is sublime, and wise.

We have sent thee, O Mohammed, as a witness, a bringer

¹ Bell, in a note on Sura 32, shows that this word fath comes to be used by the Prophet not only for military victories, such as that at Badr, but for Allah's clearing away difficulties and opening up the path for the success of his mission.

² sakina might here mean nothing more than "repose," but as there is evidence in Sura 2 that Mohammed in this Medinan period had learned about the Jewish shekinah, it is probable that that has influenced its meaning in this Sura and in Sura 9, so perhaps it had best be translated "spirit of tranquillity."

of good tidings and a warner, That ye folk may believe in Allah and in His messenger, that ye may assist him, show him due respect, and give glory to Him ¹ morning and evening. In truth, those who are swearing fealty to thee are actually butswearing fealty to Allah. Allah's hand is above their hands, so he who breaks oath breaks it only against himself; and to him who fulfils that concerning which he has made covenant with Allah, to him He will give a great reward.

Those of the Bedouin who have been left behind will say to thee: "Our properties and our families kept us occupied, so ask thou forgiveness for us." They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: "So who will avail aught for you against Allah if He either wishes you harm or wishes your advantage? Nay, but Allah was informed about what ye were doing. Nay, but ye thought that the messengers and the believers would never return from the battle to their families. That was made to seem fine in your hearts, so ye thought evilly and became a reprobate people. Such as believe not in Allah and in His messenger, We have got Sa'ir ² ready for such unbelievers. Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He grants forgiveness to whom He will, and He punishes whom He will, though Allah is forgiving, cornpassionate.

Those who have been left behind will say when ye go forth for the spoils, that ye may take them, "Let us follow you," desirous of changing Allah's word. Say: "Never will ye follow us. Thus has Allah said before.³ They will say: "Nay, but ye are jealous of us." Nay, but they were not understanding save a little. Say to those of the Bedouin who were left behind: "Ye are going to be called out against a people possessed of unwavering courage. Ye will fight them or they will submit. So if ye obey, Allah will give you an excellent reward, but if ye turn your backs as ye turned your backs on a previ-

¹ Since the pronoun with, the verb "give glory" must refer to Allah, some take the other two pronouns as also referring to Allah, and so translate: "aid Him, and honour Him, and give glory to Him." It seems more likely, however, that the two former refer to the Prophet.

² Lit., "blaze," one of the names of Hell-fire.

³ I.e., there had already been a "revelation" from Allah as to who was and who was not to take part in the expedition against Khaibar.

ous occasion, Allah will punish you with a painful punishment." No blame rests on the blind, and no blame rests on the lame, and no blame rests on the sick for not responding to the call. Whoso obeys Allah and His messenger, him He will make enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, but whoso turns his back, him He will punish with a painful punishment. Allah was well-pleased with the believers when they were swearing fealty to thee beneath the tree,¹ for He knew what was in their hearts and He sent down the spirit of tranquillity upon them, and rewarded them with a speedy victory [fath], And much spoils they might take, for Allah is sublime, wise. Allah promised you much spoils that ye might take, so He hurried this along for you and restrained the hands of the people from you,² so that it might be a sign to the believers, and might guide you in a straight path. But other spoils ye were not able to take, those hath Allah compassed, for Allah is powerful over everything. Had those who disbelieved fought you they would have turned their flanks; then they would find no guardian, no helper. This is Allah's custom which was put into effect in earlier times, and thou wilt never find any changing in Allah's custom.

He is the One Who restrained their hands from you and your hands from them in the interior of Mecca after He had given you victory over them,³ and was observing what ye were doing. They were the ones who disbelieved and kept you away from the sacred shrine, so that the offering was prevented from reaching its place of sacrifice. And had it not been for men and women believers of whom ye did not know and whom ye might have trampled down, and a crime come upon you because of them unknowingly, that Allah may cause to enter His mercy whom He will, Allah would have settled all this. Had they been separated out We should have punished those among them who disbelieved with a pain-

¹ This was at Hudaibiyya.

² I.e., there was no interference with their taking the booty.

³ This verse seems to have been written after Mecca had been taken (opened) in the year 8 A.H.

ful punishment.¹ When those who disbelieved set fierce zeal in their hearts, the fierce zeal of paganism, then did Allah send down His spirit of tranquillity upon His messenger and upon the believers, causing them to cleave to the word of piety, seeing that they were the best entitled to it and the most worthy of it. Allah is knowing about everything, Allah has brought true for His messenger the vision in which He had said: "Ye will assuredly enter the sacred shrine safely, if Allah wills, some of you with your heads shaven, others with hair short-cropped, without your being afraid." He knew what ye did not know, and He appointed even before that an early victory [fath]. He is the One who has sent His messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it victorious over all religions. Allah sufficeth as a witness. Mohammed is Allah's messenger, and those with him are strong against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves. Thou seest them bowing, prostrating in obeisance, desiring some bounty from Allah and His acceptance. Their faces are marked by the traces of prostration. That is their similitude in the Torah, and their similitude in the Gospels² is that they are like a seed planted which puts forth its shoot, then strengthens it so that it grows stout and stands upright on its stalk, amazing the husbandman, that He may by them make the unbelievers wroth. Allah has promised those among them who believe and do works of righteousness forgiveness and a great reward.

¹ The construction of the verse is very clumsy, but it means that when the Meccans were preventing the Moslems from approaching the Kaaba with their sacrifices, Allah could have let the Moslems attack and gain a victory, but this would have meant that many believers in Mecca, who were unknown to the Moslems coming from Medina, might have suffered in the strife, and Moslems would thereby have become guilty of killing other Moslems. Had these Meccan Moslems been separated out, Allah might have allowed the unbelieving Meccans to b epunished; but as it was, He laid down the command of restraint.

² The Gospel reference would be to Mark IV, 28. The Torah reference is more difficult to identify, though some have suggested Deuteronomy VI, 8;XI, 18.

O Prophet, wherefore dost thou make prohibited that which Allah has made allowable for thee? Why art thou seeking to please thy wives? But Allah is forgiving, compassionate. Allah has sanctioned for you Moslems the annulment of your oaths, and Allah is your patron, and He is the Knowing, the Wise. When the Prophet spoke in secret to one of his wives about a recent happening,¹ then when she gave information about it to another of his wives, and Allah made this apparent to him, he made known a part of it but held back a part. Then when he informed her about it she said: "Who told you this?" He said: "The Knowing, the Well-informed told me." If ye two wives repent towards Allah, then your hearts have inclined towards what is right; but if ye support one another against him, then Allah is his patron, also Gabriel and the righteous believers, and beyond that the angels are a support. Should he divorce you ² maybe his Lord will give him in exchange wives who are better than you, submissive, believers, obedient, penitent—women who worship, women who fast, both those who have known men and virgins.

¹ The story is that Hafsa found the Prophet with his concubine Mary the Copt after he had sworn to have nothing more to do with the girl. Hafsa promised to say nothing about it, but presently told Ayesha, who made trouble over the matter and apparently combined with Hafsa against the Prophet. The next two verses urge these two to repent, and the passage holds out a threat of divorce against the outraged harem.

² The pronoun here is plural, not dual, and so must refer to the whole harem.

O ye who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is men and stones,¹ over which are angels rough and strong who do not disobey Allah in that which He has commanded them, but perform what they are bidden. O ye who have disbelieved, make no excuses for yourselves to day, ye are only being recompensed for what ye have been doing.

O ye who believe, repent with a sincere repentance towards Allah, perchance your Lord will expiate your evil deeds and make you enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, on the Day when Allah will not humiliate the Prophet and those with him who have believed. Their light will hasten on before them and at their right hands. They will say: "O our Lord, make perfect for us our light, and grant us forgiveness. Thou, indeed, art powerful over everything." O Prophet, contend against the unbelievers and the hypocrites,² and be rough with them. Gehenna is their place of resort, and how evil a destination.

Allah has set forth as a similitude of those who disbelieve, the wife of Noah ³ and the wife of Lot. These both were under marital bonds with two of Our righteous servants, but they betrayed them both, and their husbands availed them naught against Allah, so it was said: "Enter ye two women the Fire along with those who enter." Also Allah has set forth as a similitude of those who believe, the wife of Pharaoh,⁴ when she said: O0 my Lord, build for me near Thee a dwelling in the Garden, and deliver me from Pharaoh and what he is doing, and save me from the wrongdoing people," And Mary, the daughter of Amram, who guarded her private parts, so We breathed therein of Our Spirit, and she gave credence to the words of her Lord and to His Books and was one of the obedient.⁵

¹ The stones are said to mean the sacred stones which were so commonly taken as sacred objects in ancient Arabia that Clement of Alexandria could conclude that the worship of the ancient Arabs was a litholatry.

² In these Medinan passages the word munafiqun (hypocrites) has become practically a technical term for that group in the Medinan community who made a show of being on the side of the Moslems though in their hearts they had no belief in the Prophet or in his mission. See Sura 48, sixth verse.

³ The story of Lot's wife is told in-the Koran in a number of other Suras. The reference to Noah's wife must go back to some tale other quarrelling with her husband over the ark, or maybe Mohammed has confused her with some other woman.

⁴ In Sura 28 it is Pharaoh's wife who takes Moses in and protects him.

⁵ See Sura 19, Note 7. This is the oft-quoted verse from the Koran which supports the Christian doctrine of the Virgin Birth of Jesus.

a sickness, so Allah will increase the sickness, and for them is a painful punishment because of what they have been treating as false. When it is said to them: "Cause no corruption in the land," they say: "Why, we are only setting things right." Is it not that they are the ones who are causing corruption? but they perceive it not. When it is said to them: "Believe as others of the people have believed," they say: "Shall we believe as the foolish ones have believed?" Is it not that they are the foolish ones? But they know it not. When they meet those who have believed they say: "We believe;" but when they are alone with their satans ¹ they say: "We are really with you, we were only making jest." Allah will make jest of them and will extend their blind wandering in their wicked transgression. Those are they who have purchased error at the price of guidance, so their trafficking has been no profit, and they have not been guided. When thy Lord said to the angels: "I am going to set a vicegerenton the earth," they said :² "Wilt Thou set one thereon who will cause corruption therein and shed blood? whereas we give glory with Thy praise and we sanctify Thee."³ He said: "I, indeed, know what ye do not know." Now He taught Adam the names of His creatures, all of them. Then He presented them to the angels and said: "Inform Me of the names of these if ye are those who speak the truth." They answered: "Glory be to Thee! We have no knowledge save what Thou hast taught us. It is Thou who art the Knowing, the Wise." Said He: "O Adam, inform them of their names." Then when he had informed them of their names, He said: "Did I not say to you that I know the unseen things of the heavens and the earth, and I well know both what ye show openly and what ye have been concealing?" And when We said to the angels:

¹ This is usually taken to mean the leaders of their community, and if this passage is directed against the Jews, then their religious leaders.

² This discussion with the angels before creation is Mohammed's version of a Rabbinic legend based on the "Let Us make man" of Genesis I, 26, but ,which the use of the name Iblis shows it must have come to him from Christian sources.

³ The verb means "to pronounce the word quddus," i.e.,' we are those who sing: "Holy! Holy! Holy! to Thee." For this reason Rodwell translates "extol Thy holiness."

"Do obeisance to Adam," then they did obeisance, save Iblis, who disdainfully refused, thinking himself too big, and was among the unbelievers. And We said: "O Adam, dwell thou and thy spouse in the Garden, and eat ye both to your fill thereof wheresoever ye will, but draw ye not near to this tree, lest ye be among the wrongdoers." But Satan caused them both to slip from obedience, so that he brought about their banishment from that blissful state in which they had been. We said: "Get ye down, the one of you an enemy to the other,¹ and there will be for you on the earth an abiding-place and enjoyment for a while." Now Adam learned from his Lord some words,² for He relented towards him. The fact is, He is the One Who relents, the Compassionate. We said: "Get ye down from it, the lot of you, but should there ever A come to you guidance from Me, then on such as follow My guidance, on them shall be no fear, nor will they grieve. But those who disbelieve, and count false Our signs, those are the people of the Fire, wherein they will abide eternally.

Neither those among the People of the Book who disbelieve nor the associators [or polytheists] like it that any good is sent down upon you Moslems from your Lord, but Allah singles out for His mercy whom He will, and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. We do not abrogate a verse or make thee forget it, O Mohammed, but We replace it with one better than it, or one like it.³ Knowest thou not that Allah is powerful over everything? Knowest thou not that Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and that apart from Allah ye have no guardian and no helper? Or do ye desire to question your messenger as Moses was formerly questioned? Whosoever takes unbelief in exchange for belief has certainly gone astray from the even way. Many among the People of

¹ Since the pronoun is plural, not dual, the command is taken to mean that Adam and Eve and Satan are to make their exit, and the enmity is not between man and wife but between humans and Satan.

² Though Adam was cast out of Paradise he was not left without guidance, and since he had now to live a life on earth Allah gave him some instructions as a Rule of Life. That is why Adam is regarded as the first in that line of prophets who had a message from Allah for human guidance.

³ This is another reference to the doctrine of Abrogation mentioned in Sura 16, Ref. 12.

the Book would like to turn you back to unbelief after your belief, out of selfish envy which they have even after the truth has been made clear to them, but pardon ye it and pass it over till Allah comes with His affair. Allah, indeed, is powerful over everything. So observe prayers and pay the legal alms, for whatsoever good ye send ahead for yourselves ye will find with Allah. Allah, indeed, is observant of what ye do. And they say: "No one will ever enter the Garden of Paradise save him who is a Jew or a Christian." Those are their desires. Say: "Bring ye your proof if ye are speaking the truth." Nay, indeed, whosoever has submitted his face to Allah, and is a doer of good, has his reward with his Lord. On such there is no fear, nor will they be grieved. The Jews say: "The Christians are on no basis," and the Christians say: "The Jews are on no basis," and yet they both read the Book. Likewise those whohave no knowledge [i.e., the pagans] say the like of what they say. But Allah will give judgment between them on Resurrection Day concerning that about which they have been differing among themselves. Yet who acts more wrongfully than those who prevent Allah's name from being made mention of in His shrines, and are eager to ruin them? Such ought not to enter them save in fear. For them there is in this world humiliation and for them in the Hereafter is a mighty punishment. Allah's are both the East and the West, so whithersoever ye turn there is the face of Allah. Allah is, indeed, wide reaching, knowing. The Christians say: "Allah has taken for Himself a son." Glory be to Him! Nay, but His is whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth, where all are obedient to Him. He is the originator of the heavens and the earth, so when He determines some matter He only says to it: "Be!" and it is. Those who have no knowledge ¹ say: "Unless Allah speaks to us, or a sign comes to us." Thus those who preceded them said the like of what they say. Their hearts are alike. We have already made the signs clear to a people who have

¹ As a few verses earlier, "those who have no knowledge" means the pagans as contrasted with the People, of the Book. Constantly in the Koran we find "knowledge" used in the particular sense of religious knowledge (cf. the second verse following), and at times it is practically the equivalent of "Scripture." So here it is the pagans-who have no Scripture who are contrasted with the People of the Book who have.

sure conviction. We have, indeed, sent thee with the truth, O Mohammed, as a bringer of good tidings and as a warner, and thou wilt not be questioned about the people of al-Jahim.¹ Neither the Jews nor the Christians will ever be pleased with thee till thou followest their religion.² Say: "Allah's guidance is the guidance," for shouldst thou follow their desires after that knowledge which has come to thee, thou wilt have from Allah neither guardian nor helper. Those to whom We have given the Book, and who read it as it ought to be read, such believe in it, and such as disbelieve in it they are the losers.

They say: "Be Jews or Christians and ye will be rightly guided." Say: "Nay, but the religion of Abraham, a Hanif,³ and he was not one of the associators [or polytheists]." Say ye: "We believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to us, and what was sent down to Abraham, and to Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Patriarchs, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and in what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit ourselves." So, if they believe in the like of what ye believe then they are indeed guided, and if they turn away it is only they who are in schism. Allah will be thy sufficiency against them. He is the One Who hears, the One Who knows. Allah's sibgha,⁴ and who has a better sibgha than Allah? Him are we worshipping. Say: "Will ye dispute with us about Allah, when He is both our Lord and your Lord? We have our works and ye have your works, and we devote ourselves single heartedly to Him. Or do ye say: ‘Verily Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs were Jews or Christians.'" Say: "Are ye the more learned or Allah? Who is a greater wrongdoer than he who conceals a testimony he has from Allah? Allah is not

¹ Jahim, as already noticed, is a name for Hell-fire, and the point here is that on the Day Mohammed will not be responsible for those to whom be has preached who prove to be among the Damned condemned to Hell-fire.

² milla; see Sura 16, Note 18.

³ See Sura 16, Note 17.

⁴ The verb means "to dye a cloth a deep colour," so this noun seems to mean that true religion steeps a man, as it were, in Allah, much as a cloth is steeped in a dye-vat, so that he is dyed with Allah's dye. Rodwell translates it "baptism."

heedless of what ye are doing." That is a community which has passed away. It has what it earned, and ye will have what ye have earned, and ye will not be questioned about what they were doing.

The foolish among the people will say: "What has turned them from the kiblah they were wont to make use of?¹ Say: "To Allah belong both the East and the West. He guides whom He wills to a straight path." Thus We have appointed you Moslems as an intermediate community, that ye may be witnesses against the people, and that the messenger may be a witness against you. We appointed the kiblah ye used to make use of only that We might know who would follow the Messenger from him who would turn on his heel. If it be a great matter it is not so to those whom Allah has guided. Allah is not One to let your faith come to naught. With the people Allah is indeed gentle, compassionate. We, indeed, see thee turning thy face towards the skies, so We shall assuredly make thee, O Mohammed, turn around to a kiblah that will please thee. Turn, therefore, thy face towards the sacred shrine; and wherever ye Moslems may be, turn your faces towards it. Verily those to whom the Book has been given know that it is the truth from their Lord, and Allah is not heedless of what they are doing. Even shouldst thou bring to those to whom the Book has been given every sign they would not follow thy kiblah. Thou art not now a follower of their kiblah, even as some of them are not followers of the kiblah of others, and shouldst thou follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to thee, thou wouldst in that case be among the wrongdoers. Those to whom We have given the Book recognize it as they recognize their own sons, yet a party among them conceals the truth, and they know that they are doing

¹ This and the following verses refer to the change in the kiblah, or direction to which one turns in prayer during worship, a change which took place in the second year of the Hegira. Before that time Mohammed had been accustomed to face Jerusalem in his daily public prayers with his fol.. lowers, but ‘after his breach with the Jews he had them turn in prayers to face the shrine in his own city, Mecca, i.e., the Kaaba, which is still the kiblah to which all Moslems turn in prayer.

so. The truth is from thy Lord, so on no account be thou among those who doubt. To each has been given a direction to which he turns in prayer, so strive for pre-eminence in the good things. Wheresoever ye may be, Allah will bring you all together. Allah, indeed, is powerful over everything. So from wherever thou hast gone forth, turn thy face to the sacred shrine; for it, indeed, is the truth from thy Lord, and Allah is not heedless of what ye are doing. So from wherever thou hast gone forth, turn thy face towards the sacred shrine; and wheresoever ye Moslems may be, turn your faces towards it, that the people may have no argument against you, save those among them who do wrong. Do not fear them, fear Me; and do this that I may perfect My favour upon you, and maybe ye will be guided. Accordingly We have sent among you a messenger from among yourselves to recite to you Our signs, and purify you, and teach you the Book and the Wisdom, and teach you what ye did not know. So remember Me, I shall remember you, and give thanks to Me, and be not ungrateful to Me.

Verily, those who conceal the evidential signs and the guidance that We have sent down, after We have made it clear to the people in the Book, they are the ones Allah will curse, and those who curse will also curse them, Save those who repent and reform and make this clear, for they are those towards whom I shall relent, for I am He Who relents, the Compassionate. They, indeed, who disbelieve and die as infidels, they are those on whom is the curse of Allah, of the angels, and of the people altogether, Under which they will be for ever, their punishment never lightened for them, and having no expectancy of deliverance. Your God is One God, there is no deity save Him, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Assuredly in the creation of the heavens and the earth, in the alternation of night and day, in the ships that run in the sea with what may be useful to people, in the rain that Allah sends down from the sky, whereby He quickens the earth after its deadness and spreads abroad in it every kind of animal, in the changing about of the winds, and in the clouds set to serve between sky and earth, in all these are signs for a people who have intelligence, Yet among the people are some who in place of Allah take substitutes which they love as one loves Allah. Nevertheless those who believe have an even stronger love for Allah. Could those who do wrong but see that Day when they will see the punishment, see that the power is wholly with Allah, and that Allah is severe in punishment! It will be a Day when those who have been fol1owed ¹ will declare themselves innocent of those who have followed, and they will see the punishment, while all means of relief are cut off from them. And those who have followed will say: "Could we but have another chance we would keep ourselves free from them, as they declare themselves free from us." In this way doth Allah show them their works. For them are in store sighings, but they will not get out from the Fire.

O ye people! eat of what is lawful and good in the earth, but do not follow in the footsteps of Satan, for he is a manifest enemy to you. He enjoins on you only evil and wickedness, and that ye say about Allah what ye do not know. When it is said to them: "Follow what Allah has sent down," they say: "Nay, but we shall follow what we found our fathers at." What! even though their fathers understood naught and had no guidance? The similitude of those who disbelieve is that of one who addresses a creature which hears nothing but a summons and a call. Deaf, dumb, blind are they, so they do not understand. O ye who believe! eat of the good things which We have given you as provision, and be thankful to

¹ Some say that this refers to the false gods, the "substitutes" (andad) of the previous verse, but others think that it refers to the leaders of the religious sects.

Allah, if ye really worship Him. He has made forbidden to you only that which is dead,¹ and blood, swine's flesh, and that which has been offered to any other than Allah;² though should anyone be compelled, not lusting for it nor wilfully transgressing, then there is no guilt on him if he eat of such food, for Allah, indeed, is forgiving, compassionate.

Verily, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book and thereby purchase a little gain, such take naught but fire as food into their bellies. Then on the Resurrection Day Allah will not speak to them, and will not clear them, but for them will be a painful punishment. Those are the ones who purchase error at the expense of guidance, and punishment at the expense of forgiveness. How patiently enduring will they be at the Fire! That is because Allah sent down the Book with the truth, so those who differ among themselves about the Book are indeed far gone in schism.

Being upright does not consist in turning your faces to the East or to the West, but being upright is to believe in Allah, and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Books, and the Prophets, and in bestowing one's wealth, in spite of love for it, upon relatives, upon the orphans, the unfortunate, the son of the way, the beggars, and for ransoming those enslaved, to observe prayer, and pay the legal alms. Those are upright who fulfil their covenants when they have entered into such, who patiently endure under adversities and hardships and when under attack. These are they who are sincere, and those are the ones who are pious.

O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who preceded you. Maybe ye will show piety. It is for a calculated number of days, but should any

¹ Anything that is found already dead and that has not been properly killed for food according to the ritual prescriptions.

² See Sura 16, Note 15.

one of you be sick, or on a journey, then a number of other days. For those who are able yet do not perform it a redemption is provided: the feeding of an unfortunate, though it is better for one to do good voluntarily, and that ye should fast is better for you did ye know it. It is for the month of Ramadan,¹ in which the Koran was sent down as a guidance for men, and as evidential signs of the guidance, and the Furqan.² So whoever of you observes the month let him fast during it, but should anyone be sick, or on a journey, then a number of other days. Allah desires it to be easy for you, with no desire that it be difficult, and that ye may complete the number of days, and that ye may magnify Allah for the way He has guided you, and perchance ye will be thankful. Now if My servants ask thee, O Mohammed, about Me, why, I am near at hand. I answer the call of him who calls when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me, and let them believe on Me; perchance they will be rightly guided. Going in to your wives on the night of the fast is lawful for you. They are a clothing for you, and ye are a clothing for them. Allah knows that ye have been defrauding yourselves, so He has relented towards you and has pardoned you. So now lie with them and seek what Allah has prescribed for you, and eat and drink till at the dawning a white thread is distinguishable by you from a black thread. Then fulfil the fast till night, and do not be lying with them when ye should be occupying your place in the houses of worship. These are the limits set by Allah, so draw not near to them. Thus does Allah make clear His signs to men; maybe they will show piety.

Now fulfil ye the hajj and the umra to Allah,³ but if ye are hindered then, send along such sacrificial gift as may be easy for you, and shave not your heads till the sacrificial gift has

¹ Ramadan is the ninth month of the Moslem year. In the old Arabian solar year it would seem to have been one of the summer months, but in the Moslem lunar year it now moves gradually through all the seasons.

² Furqan is the Syriac perqana, "salvation," and would seem here (as in Suras 3 and 25) to be another name for the Koran, though elsewhere in this Sura (as in Sura 21) it was something given to Moses and Aaron.

³ The hajj is the greater pilgrimage which comes annually at the pilgrimage season, and by the performance of which a Moslem becomes a Hajji. The umra is the lesser pilgrimage, or visitation of the sacred Shrine. In pre-Islamic times the umra was concerned particularly with the sacred spots in Mecca itself, and the hajj more particularly with those beyond the city limits. In Islam, however, there has come about a combination of the two, though the lesser pilgrimage may be performed independently at any time of the year. The hady is the name for the victim set apart for sacrifice as part-of the pilgrimage ceremonial.

reached its place. Should anyone of you be sick, or have an injury to his head, then he must pay compensation by fasting, or by distributing charitable alms, or performing some sacrificial rite. But when ye are safe, should anyone use for himself the period from the umra to the hajj then let him offer such sacrificial gift as may be easy; and should anyone not find a gift to be possible, then a fast for three days during the pilgrimage and seven when ye have returned home; that will be ten full days. This is for anyone whose family is not present at the Sacred Shrine, so show piety towards Allah, and know that Allah punishes severely. The pilgrimage [hajj] is during specified months, so if anyone undertakes the duty of pilgrimage therein let there be no sex indulgence, no transgression, and no disputing during the pilgrimage. Whatever good ye do, Allah knows it. Take provision for the journey, but the best provision is piety, so show piety towards Me, O ye who possess intelligence. It is no crime on your part that ye seek bounty from your Lord, so when ye pour forth from Arafat ¹ remember Allah at the sacred monument, and remember him as He gave you guidance, even though ye formerly were of those astray. Then pour forth from where the people have poured forth, and seek Allah's forgiveness. Allah, indeed, is forgiving, compassionate.

O ye who believe! contribute from that which We have given you as provision, before there comes a Day on which there will be no bargaining, no amity, no intercession. The unbelievers, they are the wrongdoers. Allah, there is no deity save Him, the Living, the Self-subsistent. Slumber takes Him not, nor sleep.² His is whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is it that will intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what is before them and what is be-

¹ Arafat is a hill, some little distance to the east of Mecca, standing on which is an integral part of the full pilgrimage ceremonial. The pilgrims hear a sermon there, slaughter their victims, and then at great speed hasten towards Muzdalifa where stands the "sacred monument" at which other ceremonies must be' observed. On all this see Burton's Pilgrimage to at Madinah and Meccah, 2 vols. London, 1919, a detailed account by the most famous of all the Christian pilgrims who have made the journey to Mecca in disguise.

² This is the Throne Verse, as popular among Moslem children as "Now I lay me down to sleep" has been with Christian children.

hind them, whereas they comprehend naught of His knowledge save what He wills. Wide stretches His Throne over the heavens and the earth, yet to guard them both wearies Him not, for He is the High, the Mighty.

The similitude of those who contribute of their wealth in the way of Allah is that they are like a seed which produces seven ears, in every ear of which are a hundred seeds, seeing that Allah gives double to whom He will, and Allah is wide-reaching, knowing. Those who contribute of their wealth in the way of Allah, and do not follow up what they have contributed with reminders or annoyance, they have their reward with their Lord; no fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve. Polite language and forgiveness are better than charitable alms followed by annoyance. Allah is rich, forbearing. O ye who believe! do not spoil your charitable almsgiving by reminders and annoyance, like one who contributes of his wealth to be seen of men, and has no belief in Allah and the Last Day. His similitude is that he is like a hard rock on which is earth and which, when rain falls on it, is left bare. Such have no power over anything of what they have gained, and Allah does not guide the unbelieving people. But the similitude of those who contribute of their wealth out of a desire that Allah be well—pleased, and that they themselves be strengthened, is that they are like a garden on a hill on which rain falls and it yields double produce, and even if no rain falls on it there is dew. And Allah is observant of what ye are doing. Would any one of you like it if he had a garden of date-palms and grapevines beneath which streams flow, in which he has all kinds of fruits, yet old age comes on him and the progeny he had are weaklings, when a fiery whirlwind comes upon it so that it is burned up? Thus does Allah make clear to you the

signs that maybe ye will ponder. O ye who believe, contribute of the good things ye have gained and out of that which We have produced from the earth for you, and do not choose the filthy parts thereof to contribute, such as ye yourselves would not accept unless ye were conniving therein. Be it known to you that Allah is rich, praiseworthy. Satan promises you poverty while bidding you commit crimes, whereas Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and bounty, and Allah is wide-reaching, knowing. He gives wisdom to whom He will, and whosoever as been given wisdom has indeed been given much good; yet none are admonished save those possessed of intelligence. Whatsoever contribution ye make, or whatsoever vow ye vow, Allah assuredly knows about it, and for the wrongdoers there are no helpers. If ye give charitable alms publicly it is good, but if ye do it privately, and give it to the poor, that is better for you, and it will atone for some of your evil deeds, for Allah is well-informed about what ye do. Guiding them is no responsibility of thine, O Mohammed; Allah will guide whom He will, and whatever good ye Moslems contribute is for your own souls, seeing that ye contribute with no desire for anything save the face of Allah, and whatever good ye contribute will be fully repaid you, and ye will not be wronged. It is for the poor who have been restricted in the way of Allah, being unable to move around in the land. The ignorant man considers them rich because of their modest demeanour. By their marks thou mayest know them. They do not beg importunately from folk. Whatever good ye contribute, Allah, indeed, knows about it. Those who contribute of their wealth by night and by day, privately or publicly, such have their reward with their Lord; no fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve. Those who devour usury will not arise on the Day save as he will arise whom Satan has affected by his touch. That is because they said: "Usury is only like bargaining," though Allah has made bargaining licit but

usury illicit. So whoever has a warning from his Lord come to him and stops, he may have what is past, and his affair is with Allah; but he who returns to it, such are the companions of the Fire, in which they will eternally abide. Allah is wiping out usury but is making charitable alms bear interest, and Allah does not love any guilty infidel. Verily, those who believe and perform works of righteousness, who observe prayer and pay the legal alms, such have their reward with their Lord; no fear will be upon them, nor will they grieve. O ye who believe! shew piety towards Allah, and leave what still remains of the usury,¹ if ye are believers, But if ye do not dothis then expect war from Allah and His messenger, though if ye repent yours is the capital of your wealth, and ye are neither wronging nor being wronged. Also should the debtor be a man in difficulties, then allow him a respite till things are easier, but that ye should give it as charitable alms would be better for you, did ye but know. And fear ye a Day wherein ye will be made to return to Allah. Then every soul will be fully paid whatever it has earned, and they will not be wronged. O ye who believe! when ye contract a debt payable at a fixed term, write it down. Let a scribe write it down fairly between you, and let no scribe refuse to write, as Allah has taught him. Let him do the writing and let the one who owes the debt dictate, and let him fear Allah, his Lord, and not diminish aught thereof. Should he who owes the debt be feeble in mind or body, or be unable himself to dictate, then let his guardian dictate with fairness, and call to witness two witnesses from among your men, or if there be not two men available then a man and two women from among those looking on whom ye think suitable, that if one of them should err the other may remind her. Let not the witnesses refuse when they are called upon. Disdain not to put it in writing, whether it be little or much, with its agreed-upon term. That is more equitable for you with Allah, more accurate for the

¹ This apparently means that some were disturbed by the law forbidding usury, because they had money out on which they had still to collect, and so such are here bidden to cut their loss.

witnessing, and more likely to save you from doubts about it. This is the proper procedure unless it be a matter of present merchandise which you are circulating among yourselves. In that case it is no fault on your part if ye do not write it down, but be sure to have witnesses when ye are buying and selling with each other. Let not either scribe or witness do any injury to the parties involved, for if ye do, that is a crime on your part. Show ye piety towards Allah and Allah will instruct you, for Allah knows about everything. Should ye be on a journey and find no scribe, then let there be a pledge taken; but should any one of you trust another, let him who is trusted pay back what has been entrusted to him, and let him fear Allah, his Lord. Do not conceal the evidence. Whosoever conceals it, his heart is guilty, and Allah knows what ye are doing. Allah's is whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Whether ye disclose what is in your souls or conceal it, Allah will reckon with you for it. He forgives whom He will, and He punishes whom He will, and Allah is powerful over everything. The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, as do the believers. Each believes in Allah, and in His angels, and His Books, and His messengers. We make no distinction between one and another among His messengers. And they say: "We hear and we obey. Grant us Thy forgiveness, O our Lord, for to Thee is the return." Allah does not impose upon a soul more than it is capable of bearing. To its credit is what it has earned, and against it is what it has stored up. O our Lord, do not take us to task if we should forget or make a mistake, O our Lord, do not burden us with what is beyond our capacity, but pardon us, and forgive us, and have mercy upon us. Thou art our Patron, so assist us against the unbelieving people."

The two hands of Abu Lahab have perished, and he has perished. His wealth profited him nothing, nor that which he gained. He will roast at a fire, the possessor of a flame, And his wife will be the carrier of the fuel, About her neck a rope of palm-fibre.

When Allah's help and the opening-up have come, And thou seest the people entering Allah's religion in troops, Then give glory, with praise of thy Lord , and see His forgiveness. He, indeed, has always been One who relents.

The business of multiplying occupies you, Until ye have visited the graves. Nay, indeed, ye will know. Again, nay, indeed, ye will know, Nay, indeed, ye will know with certain knowledge. Ye would see al-Jahim ¹ even now with the mind's eye, But after death ye will assuredly see it with the eye of certainty. Then on that Day ye will assuredly be questioned ² about your pleasant life.

¹ Al-Jahim, "the hot place," has already been noted as one of the names of Hell.

² This refers to the questioning at Judgment, when each ‘soul will be examined on the record of its earthly life before being adjudged to Paradise or Hell.

Hast thou seen him who considers the religion false? That fellow is the one who repulses the orphan, And does not stir up folk to feed the unfortunate. So woe to those who pray But are careless about their praying, Who are all for making a show, But withhold assistance from the needy.

O ye people! show piety towards your Lord who created you from a single person and from that person created his spouse, from which pair He spread abroad many men and women. So, show piety towards Allah about Whom ye question one another, and show reverence for blood relationships. Allah, indeed, is keeping watch over you. Give the orphans their property and do not exchange the worthless for the good. And devour not their property after adding it to your property, for that is a great crime. And if ye are afraid that ye may not deal justly with the orphans, then marry such women as may seem good to you, two or three or four, but if ye are afraid that ye may not be equitable, then one, or such slave-girls as your right hand may possess. That is more likely to keep you from swerving. Give the women their dowries freely, but should it please them to give you somewhat therefrom, then enjoy it with profit and advantage. But do not give to the weak-minded your property which Allah has appointed as a support for you, but provide for them therefrom, and clothe them, and speak to them with befitting speech. And make trial of the orphans so that when they reach the age of

marriage, if ye perceive they are going rightly ye then may hand over their property to them, but see that ye do not devour it in extravagance and in haste ere they grow up. Should a guardian of orphans be rich, let him keep himself from it altogether, but should he be poor let him make use of it as is befitting. Then when ye hand over their property to them take witnesses against them, though Allah is a sufficient accountant. Men have a right to a share of what their two parents and kinsfolk leave, and women have a right to a share of what parents and kinsfolk leave, a legally assigned share of whatever it is, whether little or much. So when there are present at the division those who have ties of kinship, the orphans, the unfortunate, make provision for them therefrom and speak to them with befitting speech. And let those be afraid who, were they to leave behind them weak progeny, would be fearful on their behalf. Let them show piety towards Allah and let them make an opportune proposal. Verily, those who devour wrongfully the property of orphans only take fire as food into their bellies, and anon they will roast at Sa'ir.¹

Allah lays commandment on you in the matter of your children. The male is to have the same portion as two females. Should they be women [i.e., if there is no male heir], if there are more than two they are to have two-thirds of what he has left, but if she be an only daughter she is to have half. His parents are to have each of them a sixth of what he has left if he has a child, but if he has no child then his two parents are his heirs and his mother is to have a third. If, however, he has brothers, his mother is to have a sixth—all the above after any bequests he may have made or any debts have been paid. Since ye do not know whether your fathers or your sons are more entitled to benefit from you, this is an ordinance from Allah. Allah, indeed, is knowing, wise. Ye are to have half of what your wives leave if they have no child, but if they have

¹ Lit., "blaze," one of the names of Hell—fire.

a child ye are to have a fourth of what they have left, after any bequests they may have made or any debts have been paid; and they are to have a fourth of what ye leave if ye have no child, but if ye have a child then they are to have an eighth of what ye have left after any bequests ye may have made or any debts have been paid. Should the inheriting be from a man or a woman with no direct heir, then if there be a brother or a sister, each of them is to have a sixth, and should there be more than that then they are to be partners in a third, after any bequests he may have made or any debts have been paid, without doing injury to anyone; a commandment from Allah, and Allah is knowing, forbearing. These are the bounds set by Allah, so such as obey Allah and His messenger He will make enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, in which they will abide forever. That is the great felicity. But whoso disobeys Allah and His messenger and breaks His bounds He will make enter the Fire, therein to abide forever, and for him there is a shameful punishment.

Now those among your women who commit whoredom, against them bring as witnesses four from among you; and if they testify to the whoredom, shut those women up in the houses till death take them or Allah appoints a way for them. And those couples among you who commit it, punish them both; but if they repent and amend, turn away from them. Allah, indeed, is He Who relents, is compassionate. Nevertheless, relenting on Allah's part is only towards those who do evil in ignorance and then soon repent. Towards such Allah will relent, for Allah is knowing, wise. The relenting is not for those who do evil deeds till, when death comes nigh one of them, he says: "Now, indeed, I repent;" nor is it for those who die while they are infidels, since for those We have made ready a painful punishment.

O ye who believe! it is not lawful for you to inherit from

women against their will, so do not act harshly with them that ye may get away with part of what ye have given them as dowry, unless it be that they commit open whoredom; but live with them as is right and proper, for if ye are averse to them maybe ye are averse to something in which Allah has set great good. And should ye desire to make an exchange of one wife in place of another, and have given one of them a hundredweight ¹ of goods as dowry, take naught from it. Would ye take it by calumny and manifest guilt? Moreover, how could ye take it when ye have had marital relations with one another and they have accepted from you a solid compact? Do not take in wedlock women whom your fathers have taken in wedlock—save what is already past ²—for that is foulness and abomination and an evil way. Forbidden to you are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your paternal aunts and maternal aunts, brothers' daughters and sisters' daughters, foster mothers who have suckled you, foster sisters, mothers of your wives, wards who are under your care from women unto whom ye have gone in [i.e., stepdaughters]—though if ye have not gone in to them there is no blame on you for taking their daughters—the lawful spouses of your sons who are from your loins. Also it is forbidden that ye take two sisters together—save what is already past. Allah, indeed, is forgiving, compassionate. Also such women as are under marriage protection, save what your right hands possess.³ This is Allah's prescription for you. Whatever is beyond that, it is permissible for you to seek in accordance with your wealth, but under marriage protection, not for fornication. To those of them ye have enjoyed thereby give their hire as stipulated, though there is no blame on you should ye be pleased to give beyond what was stipulated. Allah, indeed, is knowing, wise. Such among you as cannot wait to take believing women in wedlock under marriage protection, let them take from those whom your right hands possess among

¹ qintar is the Latin centenarium, which came into Arabic from Byzantine Greek through Syriac.

² I.e., such unions contracted before a man became a Moslem need not be dissolved, but no one as a Moslem may contract such a union. In pre- -Islamic Arabia apparently it was not regarded as incestuos to marry wives left by one's father other than one's own mother.

³ A Moslem is forbidden to enter into wedlock with a married woman who already has a husband, save in the case of women taken as captives, in which case their capture is considered to dissolve automatically the previous marriage. "What your right hands possess" is a euphemism for slaves.

your serving-maids. Allah well knows your faith. Ye are part of one another, so take them in wedlock with the permission of their families and give them their hire as is right and proper, under marriage protection, not for fornication, and not taking mistresses for yourselves. Then when the slave-girls are under marriage protection, should they commit whoredom, inflict on them half the punishment inflicted on a free woman under marriage protection. All that is for him among you who fears committing sin, but that ye should patiently endure were better for you. Nevertheless, Allah is forgiving, compassionate. Allah desires to make things clear to you and to guide you to the customs of those who preceded you, and to relent to you, for Allah is knowing, wise. Allah desires to relent towards you, but those who follow their lusts desire that ye should turn mightily aside from His bounds. Allah desires to make things light for you, for man was created a weak creature.

We have, indeed, sent down to thee, O Mohammed, the Book with the truth, that thou gayest judge between the people according to what Allah has shown thee, so be not an advocate for treacherous men, But seek Allah's forgiveness, for Allah, indeed, is forgiving, compassionate. And stand not up on behalf of those who are traitors to themselves. Allah, indeed, loves not one who is a traitor, a guilty person. They may conceal themselves from the people, but they do not conceal themselves from Allah, for He is with them when they spend the night at speech that is not seemly, and Allah comprehends what they are doing. There ye are! Ye have stood up for these in this worldly life, but who is going to stand up for them against Allah on Resurrection Day? or who then will be an advocate for them? Whosoever does evil, or wrongs

himself; then asks Allah's forgiveness, will find Allah forgiving, compassionate; But whoso makes a guilty gain, gains it only to his own hurt, for Allah is knowing, wise. Whoso makes a sinful or a guilty gain, then casts it on an innocent person, has indeed laid on himself calumny and manifest guilt. Had it not been for Allah's bounty and mercy to thee, O Mohammed, a party of them would have succeeded in leading thee astray, but they lead astray none but themselves, and they will not harm thee in any way. Allah has sent down to thee the Book and the Wisdom, and has taught thee what thou knewest not, so Allah's bounty to thee has been great.

The People of the Book will ask thee, O Mohammed, to bring down a Book for them from the skies. Yet they asked Moses something greater than that, for they said: "Show us God openly."¹ So the thunderbolt took them in their wrongdoing. Then they took for themselves the calf even after the evidential signs had come to them, but We pardoned that and gave Moses clear authority.' And We raised up the mountain over them at their covenanting, and We said to them: "Enter ye the gate, doing obeisance;" and We said to them: "Transgress not on the Sabbath," and We took from them a firm covenant. So because of their violating their covenant, and their disbelieving in Allah's signs, and their unjustified killing of the prophets,² and their saying: "Our hearts are uncircumcised"—nay, but Allah has set a seal upon them because of their unbelief; so that they believe not, save a few—And because of their unbelief and their speaking against Mary a dreadful calumny, And their saying: "Truly we killed the Messiah, Jesus the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah," whereas they did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but a likeness was made for them. Truly, those who differ

¹ Here, as in a section of Sura 2, the Children of Israel tell Moses that they will not believe till they have seen Allah openly and so He destroyed them by the thunderbolt. This seems to derive from a misunderstanding of the account in Exodus XIX, 14-25. The raising of the mountain over them, which is mentioned also in Sura 2, seems to be a deformation of some Jewish legend about the giving of the Law at Sinai.

² This killing of the prophets is a New Testament charge against the Jews (see Matthew XXIII, 37), and as the next verse goes on to speak of the calumny against Mary, one would suspect that Mohammed had been listening to what his Christian informants had to say about the Jews. However, since the passage goes on to state that it was not Jesus who was crucified, but someone else in his likeness, it is clear that his contact in this case must have been with Gnostics, perhaps Manichaeans, who denied the crucifixion of Jesus and whose anti-Jewish feelings were notorious.

about it are in doubt about him. They have no real knowledge about him but only follow opinion, for certainly they did not kill him. Nay, but Allah raised him to Himself, and Allah is sublime, wise. There are none of the People of the Book but will believe in him before his death,¹ and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them. Now because of wrongdoing on the part of those who became Jews We made illicit for them certain good things which had been licit to them, and this was because of their turning many aside from Allah's way. And because of their taking usury, though they had been forbidden that, and their wrongfully consuming the people's property, so We have got ready for the unbelievers among them a painful punishment. But for those among them firmly established in knowledge, and the believers who believe in what has been sent down to thee, and what was sent down before thee, and those who observe prayer and pay the legal alms, and those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, those We shall give a great reward.

¹ Since Jesus did not die in this life, Islamic orthodoxy teaches that at his second coming he will die as all mortals do, but before his death all will come to believe in him, and he will be an important witness at the Judgment.

O People of the Book! there has come to you Our messenger, making clear for you much of the Book that ye were concealing, and overlooking much, and there has come to you from Allah a light and a clear book, Whereby Allah will guide whosoever will follow His good-pleasure into ways of peace. Also it will bring them out of darkness to the light by His permisson and guide them to a straight path. They indeed are in unbelief who say that Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary.¹ Say: "Who then would control Allah at all, should He desire to destroy the Messiah, the son of Mary, and his mother, and those on the earth altogether? seeing that Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between them both. He creates whoever He wills, for Allah is powerful over everything." Now the Jews and the Christians say: "We are Allah's children and His beloved ones." Say: "Why then does He punish you for your sins? Nay but ye are humans, among the things He has created. He grants

¹ It is true that no Christians known to history ever claimed that God was the Messiah, though they did claim that the Messiah was God; but there is no other way of translating the sentence, so one must conclude that this is how Mohammed understood what he heard from his Christian informants.

forgiveness to whom He will, and He punishes whom He will, for Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between them both, and to Him is the returning." O People of the Book! there has come to you Our messenger, making clear for you these matters after an interval ¹ among the messengers, lest ye should say: "Neither bringer of good tidings nor warner has come to us," for now there has come to you a bringer of good tidings and a warner, and Allah is powerful over everything.

And make mention of when Moses said to his people: "O my people! remember Allah's grace to you in that He instituted among you prophets, and made you kings, and has given you what He gave not to any others among mankind. O my people! enter ye the Holy Land which Allah has decreed is to be yours, and do not turn your tails so that ye become changed over from gainers to losers." They said: "O Moses, therein are a people who are giants,² and we shall never enter it till they go forth from it, but should they go forth from it then we may enter." Two men among those who truly feared, and to whom Allah had been gracious, said: "Enter the gate against them, for whensoever ye enter it ye will be the ones who overcome, so put your trust in Allah if ye are believers." They said: "O Moses, we shall never enter it at all so long as they are therein, so go up, thou and thy Lord, and do ye two fight, but as for us, we shall sit down here." Said he: "O my Lord, I rule over no one save myself and my brother, so pray distinguish between us and the impious people." Said He: "Verily, the Holy Land will be a forbidden thing to them for forty years, during which they will wander aimlessly in the land, so fret not over the impious people."

Recite also to them truly, O Mohammed, the story o e two sons of Adam, when they both drew near with an offering which was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. The one whose offering was not ac-

¹ The fatra, or breach in the prophetic, series, seems to have been quite a problem to various religious groups, and Mohammed's claim here is that he has come to end the break and give a new message from the Lord.

² See Numbers XIII, 31-33.

cepted said: "I shall most assuredly slay thee." Said the other: "Allah accepts only from those who show piety. Even shouldst thou stretch forth thy hand to kill me, yet I am not stretching forth my hand towards thee to slay thee. I fear Allah, Lord of mankind. I desire that thou shouldst be liable for the sin of slaying me as well as for thine own sin, so that thou becomes of the people of the Fire, for that is the recompense of those who do wrong."¹ Thus his soul inclined him to kill his brother. So he killed him and became one of the losers. Then Allah sent a raven to dig in the ground that it might show him how he might hide the shame of his brother.² He said: "Ah! woe is me! am I incapable of being like this raven and hiding the shame of my brother?" So he became one of those who repent. Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that: "Whosoever kills a person other than as penalty for killing another person, or for working corruption in the land, it is as though he had killed all men, and whosoever gives one life it is as though he had given life to all men."³ So Our messengers came to them with evidential signs, but even then many of them after that are committing excesses in the land.

Truly, We sent down the Torah in which is guidance and a light. By it the Prophets who had submitted themselves to Allah gave judgment for those who became Jews, as did the Rabbis and the Divines by such portion as they were put in charge of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses for it. So fear ye not the people, but fear Me, and sell not My signs at a little price. Whoso does not judge according to what Allah has sent down, they are the unbelievers. Now We ordained for them in the Torah: "A life for a life, an eye for an eye, a

¹ It is noteworthy that Mohammed considered the doctrine of-Hell-fire to have been known even to the first generation of mankind.

² Opinions differ as to what is meant here. Some think that the shameful deed done to his brother is the, "shame," others that the exposed corpse of his brother was a shame, or that it was a shameful thing that his brother was no longer alive. The raven story is drawn from Rabbinic legend, though there it is Adam who is troubled about what to do with the dead body of Abel till he sees a raven bury another dead raven and thus learns how to dispose of the dead.

³ This derives from the Talmud, where in connection with the Cain and Abel story we find this statement in Sanhedrin IV, 5, with which may be compared Kiddushin I.

nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds a retaliation,"¹ though should anyone charitably remit it, for him it is an expiation, but whoso does not judge according to what Allah has sent down, they are the wrong doers. And We made Jesus, son of Mary, follow in their traces, confirming what of the Torah was there present, and We gave him the Gospel, in which is guidance and a light, confirming what of the Torah was there present, and a guidance and an admonition to those who show piety. So let the people of the Gospel judge by what Allah sent down therein, for whoso does not judge according to what Allah has sent down, they are the wicked transgressors. And We have sent down to thee, O Mohammed, the Book with truth, confirming what of Scripture was there present, and being a protector for it. So give judgment between them by what Allah has sent down, and do not follow their desires as against the truth that has come to thee. For each party of you We have instituted a rule of life ² and a path; and had Allah so willed He would have made you one community, but He has made you different communities that He might test you by that which He has given you, so seek pre-eminence in things that are good. To Allah is where ye will all return, and He will inform you about that over which ye differ.

O ye who believe! do not make illicit the good things that Allah has made licit for you,³ yet do not transgress, for Allah loves not those who transgress. So eat of whatever licit good thing Allah has provided for you, and show piety towards Allah in Whom ye believe. Allah will not take you to task for foolishness in your oaths, but He will take you to task for pacts ye have made by oath should ye break them. The expiation for such is the feeding of ten unfortunates with the

¹ See Exodus XXI, 23-27.

² shir'a means the same as shari'a, which is the usual word for the system of rules and regulations by which a practising Moslem should guide his daily life. The verse thus means that Jews and Christians and other religious communities all had their "rule of life" given them from above.

³ This does not mean that the Prophet is abrogating those food restrictions, modelled on those of the Jews, which he had earlier bidden his community observe (see Sura 16, Ref. 15; Sura 2, Refs. 14, 15, Sura 5, opening verses, not included here). What the Prophet has in mind here -are excessive restrictions such as those practised by Christian ascetics.

average amount ye feed to your own families, or the clothing them [i.e., the aforesaid unfortunates], or the freeing of a slave. However, should one not find the wherewithal to do that, the expiation is then fasting for three days. That is the expiation for oaths when ye have sworn, so watch your oaths. Thus does Allah make clear His signs for you, that perchance ye may be thankful. O ye who believe! wine and maisir,¹ and idol-stones and divining arrows are only filth of Satan's working, so avoid it that maybe ye may prosper. Satan desires only that he may cause enmity and hatred to occur among you through wine and maisir and turn you away from remembrance of Allah and from prayer, so will ye abstain? So obey Allah, and obey His messenger, and be on your guard. But should ye turn away then be it known to you that Our messenger is responsible only for clear proclamation of the message. There is no blame on those who believe and have done righteous works for anything they may have eaten, provided they show piety and believe and do righteous works, then show piety and believe, then show piety and do good, for Allah loves those who do good. O ye who believe! Allah will assuredly test you by some part of the game that your hands and your spears reach, that Allah may know who fears Him in the Unseen, so whoso transgresses after that, for him is a painful punishment. O ye who believe! do not kill game while ye are in a sacral state.² Should any one of you kill such intentionally, then from his own flocks he must pay as compensation the like of what he has killed, according as two just persons from among you decide, to be a sacrificial offering delivered at the Kaaba, or as an expiation in place of a compensation the feeding of unfortunates, or the equivalent thereof in fasting, that he may taste the heinousness of his affair. Allah has pardoned what is past, but should anyone do it again Allah will exact vengeance from him, for Allah is sublime, Lord of vengeance.

¹ The commentators tell us that this was a form of gambling very popular among the Arabs. The idol-stones and the arrows certainly refer to the casting of lots ‘and making divination at shrines. Some strict Moslems have interpreted the idol-stones (ansab) as prohibiting the game of chess, the pieces of which are carved images.

² This refers to those of performing the rites of pilgrimage.

Make mention, O Mohammed, when Allah said: "O Jesus, son of Mary, remember My bounty to thee and to thy mother. When I aided thee by the Holy Spirit thou didst speak to thepeople while in the cradle and as a grown man. And remember when I taught thee the Book and the Wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel,¹ and when thou didst create from clay as it were the figures of birds, by My permission, and thou didst breathe into them so that they became birds, by My permission. Also thou didst heal the born blind and the leper by My permission. And remember when thou didst bring forth the dead by My permission, and when I held back the Children of Israel from thee when thou didst bring to them the evidential signs, and those among them who disbelieved said: ‘This is naught but manifest magic." And when I spoke by revelation to the disciples, saying: "Believe in Me and in My messenger," they said: "We believe; so bear witness that we have submitted ourselves." And make mention when the disciples said: "O Jesus, son of Mary, is not thy Lord able to send down to us a table from the skies?"² He said: "Show piety to Allah, if ye are believers." They said: "We desire to eat therefrom so that our hearts will be tranquil, and we shall know that thou hast spoken the truth to us, and we shall be among those who bear witness thereto." Jesus, son of Mary, said: "Allahumma! our Lord, send down to us a table from the skies to be a feast for us both the first and the last, and a sign from Thee. Make provision for us, for Thou art the best of providers." Allah said: "Indeed, lam going to send it down to you, and should any of you afterwards disbelieve, I shall punish him with such a punishment as I shall never punished anyone among mankind." And make mention when Allah said to Jesus, son of Mary: "Didst thou say to the people:

¹ Note how the Gospel is regarded as something already in existence and taught to Jesus just as he was taught the Torah. Mohammed had quite failed to learn from his Christian informants that Jesus himself was the Gospel, or good news of salvation. His speaking from the cradle was mentioned toward-the end of the first section of Sura 19, and it and the story of his giving life to clay figures that he made when a ch~1d are drawn from the Apocryphal Gospels. The holding back of the Children of Israel from him may be a reference to the incident when he preached in his home town of Nazareth as recorded in Luke IV, 28-30.

² In this passage there is a curious confusion of the Lord's Supper with the table Peter saw in his vision in Acts X.

"Take me and my mother as two deities apart from Allah?"¹ He said: "Glory be to Thee! It could not be for me to say what I know is not true. Had I said it Thou wouldest know it. Thou knowest what is in my soul whereas I know not what is in Thy soul. It is Thou Who art the Knower of things unseen. I did not say to them anything but what Thou didst bid me, namely: ‘Worship ye Allah, my Lord and your Lord.' So I was a witness against them as long as I was among them, but when Thou didst cause me to pass away, it was Thou Who wert the watcher over them, for Thou art witness over everything. Shouldest Thou punish them, why they are Thy servants, and shouldest Thou grant them forgiveness, why it is Thou who art Sublime, the Wise." Said Allah: "This is the Day on which their truth-telling will profit those who speak the truth. For them there will be gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide eternally forever, Allah well-pleased with them and they well-pleased with Him, that is the great felicity. Allah's is the kingdom of heavens and the earth, and His is whatsoever is in them, and He is powerful over everything.

¹ This would seem to indicate that Mariolatry was practised by the Christians known to Mohammed. As the word used here for disciples is the Ethiopic word hawariyun, this may well have been what he learned of Christianity from slaves of Abyssinian origin in the Hejaz.

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