The Koran Part 93

A likeness of those who believe not in their Lord. Their works are like ashes which the wind scattereth on a stormy day: no advantage shall they gain from their works. This is the far-gone wandering.

Seest thou not that in truth1 hath G.o.d created the Heavens and the Earth?

Were such his pleasure He could make you pa.s.s away, and cause a new creation to arise.

And this would not be hard for G.o.d.

All mankind shall come forth before G.o.d; and the weak shall say to the men of might, "Verily, we were your followers: will ye not then relieve us of some part of the vengeance of G.o.d?"

They shall say, "If G.o.d had guided us, we surely had guided you. It is now all one whether we be impatient, or endure with patience. We have no escape."

And after doom hath been given, Satan shall say, "Verily, G.o.d promised you a promise of truth: I, too, made you a promise, but I deceived you. Yet I had no power over you:

But I only called you and ye answered me. Blame not me then, but blame yourselves: I cannot aid you, neither can ye aid me. I never believed that I was His equal with whom ye joined me."2 As for the evil doers, a grievous torment doth await them.

But they who shall have believed and done the things that be right, shall be brought into gardens beneath which the rivers flow: therein shall they abide for ever by the permission of their Lord: their greeting therein shall be "Peace."

Seest thou not to what G.o.d likeneth a good word?3 To a good tree: its root firmly fixed, and its branches in the Heaven:

Yielding its fruit in all seasons by the will of its Lord. G.o.d setteth forth these similitudes to men that haply they may reflect.

And an evil word is like an evil tree torn up from the face of the earth, and without strength to stand.

Those who believe shall G.o.d stablish by his steadfast word both in this life and in that which is to come: but the wicked shall He cause to err: G.o.d doth his pleasure.

Hast thou not beholden those who repay the goodness of G.o.d with infidelity, and sink their people into the abode of perdition-

h.e.l.l? Therein shall they be burned; and wretched the dwelling!

They set up compeers with G.o.d in order to mislead man from his way. SAY: Enjoy your pleasures yet awhile, but a.s.suredly, your going hence shall be into the fire.

Speak to my servants who have believed, that they observe prayer, and give alms of that with which we have supplied them, both privately and openly, ere the day come when there shall be neither traffic nor friendship.

It is G.o.d who hath created the Heavens and the Earth, and sendeth down water from the Heaven, and so bringeth forth the fruits for your food: And He hath subjected to you the ships, so that by His command, they pa.s.s through the sea; and He hath subjected the rivers to you: and He hath subjected to you the sun and the moon in their constant courses: and He hath subjected the day and the night to you: of everything which ye ask Him, giveth He to you; and if ye would reckon up the favours of G.o.d, ye cannot count them! Surely man is unjust, ungrateful!

ABRAHAM said, "O Lord make this land secure, and turn aside me and my children from serving idols:

For many men, O my Lord, have they led astray. But whosoever shall follow me, he truly shall be of me; and whosoever shall disobey me... . Thou truly art Gracious, Merciful.

O our Lord! verily I have settled some of my offspring in an unfruitful valley, nigh to thy holy house;4 O our Lord, that they may strictly observe prayer! Make thou therefore the hearts of men to yearn toward them, and supply them with fruits that they may be thankful.

O our Lord! thou truly knowest what we hide and what we bring to light; nought on earth or in heaven is hidden from G.o.d. Praise be to G.o.d who hath given me, in my old age, Ismael and Isaac! My Lord is the hearer of prayer.

Lord! grant that I and my posterity may observe prayer. O our Lord! and grant this my pet.i.tion. O our Lord! forgive me and my parents and the faithful, on the day wherein account shall be taken."

Think thou not that G.o.d is regardless of the deeds of the wicked. He only respiteth them to the day on which all eyes shall stare up with terror:

They hasten forward in fear; their heads upraised in supplication; their looks riveted; and their hearts a blank. Warn men therefore of the day when the punishment shall overtake them,

And when the evil doers shall say, "O our Lord! respite us yet a little while:5

To thy call will we make answer; thine Apostles will we follow." "Did ye not once swear that no change should befal you?

Yet ye dwelt in the dwellings of those6 who were the authors of their undoing7 and it was made plain to you how we had dealt with them; and we held them up to you as examples. They plotted their plots: but G.o.d could master their plots, even though their plots had been so powerful as to move the mountains."

Think not then that G.o.d will fail his promise to his Apostles: aye! G.o.d is mighty, and Vengeance is His.

On the day when the Earth shall be changed into another Earth, and the Heavens also, men shall come forth unto G.o.d, the Only, the Victorious.

And thou shalt see the wicked on that day linked together in chains-

Their garments of pitch, and fire shall enwrap their faces that G.o.d may reward every soul as it deserveth; verily G.o.d is prompt to reckon.

This is a message for mankind, that they may thereby be warned: and that they may know that there is but one G.o.d; and that men of understanding may ponder it.

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1 See Sura [lx.x.xiv.] x. 5.

2 Lit. I truly renounce your having a.s.sociated me (with G.o.d) heretofore.

3 The preaching and the profession of Islam. Comp. Ps. i. 3, 4.

4 The Caaba.

5 Lit. to a term near at hand.

6 Of the anciently destroyed cities of Themoud, Ad, etc.

7 Lit. were unjust to their own souls.

SURA XII.-JOSEPH, PEACE BE ON HIM [LXXVII.]

MECCA.-III Verses

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

ELIF. LAM. RA.1 These are signs of the clear Book.

An Arabic Koran have we sent it down, that ye might understand it.

In revealing to thee this Koran,2 one of the most beautiful of narratives will we narrate to thee, of which thou hast hitherto been regardless.

When Joseph said to his Father, "O my Father! verily I beheld eleven stars and the sun and the moon-beheld them make obeisance to me!"3

He said, "O my son! tell not thy vision to thy brethren, lest they plot a plot against thee: for Satan is the manifest foe of man.

It is thus that thy Lord shall choose thee and will teach thee the interpretation of dark saying, and will perfect his favours on thee and on the family of Jacob, as of old he perfected it on thy fathers Abraham and Isaac; verily thy Lord is Knowing, Wise!"