Part 9
And
the chiefs of his people who believed not, said, "If you follow Shoaib,
you shall then surely perish."
An
earthquake therefore surprised them, and they were found in the morning dead on
their faces, in their dwellings.
7:90 Those who had
treat Shoaib as an impostor, became as though they had never dwelt in them: they who treated Shoaib as an impostor, were they
that perished.
So he
turned away from them and said, O my people! I proclaimed to you the messages
of my Lord, and I counselled you aright; but how should I be grieved for a
people who do not believe?
Nor
did we ever send a prophet to any city without afflicting its people with
adversity and trouble, that haply they might humble them.
Then
changed we their ill for good, until they waxed wealthy, and said, "Of old
did troubles and blessings befall our fathers:"
therefore did we seize upon them suddenly when they were unaware.
But if
that the people of these cities had believed and feared us, we would surely
have laid open to them blessings out of the Heaven and the Earth: but they treated our signs as lies, and we took
vengeance on them for their deeds.
Were
the people, therefore, of those cities secure that our wrath would not light on
them by night, while they were slumbering?
Were
the people of those cities secure that our wrath would not light on them in
broad day, while they were disporting themselves?
Did
they, therefore, deem themselves secure from the deep counsel of God? But none
deem themselves secure from the deep counsel of God, save those who perish.
Is it
not proved to those who inherit this land after its ancient occupants, that if
we please we can smite them for their sins, and put a seal upon their hearts,
that they hearken not?
We
will tell thee the stories of these cities. Their apostles came to them with
clear proofs of their mission; but they would not believe in what they had
before treated as imposture. -- Thus doth God seal up the hearts of the
unbelievers --
7:100 And we found
not of their covenant in most of them; but we found most of them to be
perverse.
Then
after them we sent Moses with our signs to Pharaoh and his nobles, who acted unjustly
in their regard. But see wht was the end of the corrupt doers!
And
Moses said, "O Pharaoh! verily I am an apostle
from the Lord of the Worlds.
Nothing
but truth is it right for me to speak of God. Now am I come to you from your
Lord with a proof of my mission; send away, therefore, the children of
So he
threw down his rod, and lo! it distinctly became a serpent.
Then
drew he forth his hand, and lo! it was white to the beholders.
The
nobles of Pharaoh's people said, "Verily, this is an expert enchanter:
Fain
would he expel you from your land: what then
do you order to be done?"
They
said, "Put him and his brother off awhle, and send round men to your cities
who shall muster
And
bring to thee every skilled enchanter."
7:110 And the enchanters came to Pharaoh.
Said they, "Shall we surely be rewarded if we prevail?"
He
said, "Yes; and you certainly shall be near my person."
They
said, "O Moses! either cast thou down thy rod first, or we will cast down
ours."
He
said, "Cast you down." And when they had cast them down they
enchanted the people's eyes, and made them afraid; for they had displayed a
great enchantment.
Then
spake we unto Moses, "Throw down thy rod;" and lo! it devoured their
lying wonders.
So the
truth was made strong, and that which they had wrought proved vain:
And
they were vanquished on the spot, and drew back humiliated.
But
the other enchanters prostrated themselves adoring:
Said they,
"We believe on the Lord of the World,
The
Lord of Moses and Aaron."
7:120 Said Pharoah, "Have you believed
on him, ere I have given you leave? This truly is a plot which you have plotted
in this my city, in order to drive out its people. But you shall see in the end
what shall happen.
I will
surely cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides; then will I have you all
crucified."
They
said, "Verily, to our Lord do we return;
And
thou takest vengeance on us only because we have believed on the signs of our
Lord when they came to us. Lord! pour out constancy upon us, and cause us to
die Muslims."
Then
said the chiefs of Pharaoh's people -- "Wilt thou let Moses and his people
go to spread disorders in our land, and desert thee and thy gods?" He said,
"We will cause their male children to be slain and preserve their females
alive: and verily we shall be masters over
them."
Said
Moses to his people, "Cry unto God for help, and bear up patiently, for
the earth is God's: to such of His servants as
He pleaseth doth He give it as a heritage; and for those that fear Him is a
happy issue."
"We
have been oppressed," they said, "before thou camest to us, and since
thou hast been with us:"
"Perhaps," said he, "your Lord will destroy your enemy, and will
make you his successors in the land, and He will see how you will act
therein."
Already
had we chastised the people of Pharaoh with dearth and scarcity of fruits, that
haply they might take warning:
And
when good fell to their lot they said, "This is our due." But if ill
befel them, they regarded Moses and his partisans as (the birds) of evil omen.
Yet, was not their evil omen from God? But most of them knew it not.
And
they said, "Whatever sign thou bring us for our enchantment, we will not
believe on thee."
7:130 And we sent upon them the flood and
the locusts and the kummal (lice) and the frogs and the blood, -- clear signs
-- but they behaved proudly, and were a sinful people.
And
when any plague fell upon them, they said, "O Moses! pray for us to thy
Lord, according to that which he hath covenanted with thee: Truly if thou take off the plague from us, we will
surely believe thee, and will surely send the children of
Therefore
we took vengeance on them and drowned them in the sea, because they treated our
signs as falsehoods and were heedless of them.
And we
gave to the people who had been brought so low, the eastern and the western
lands, which we had blessed as an heritage:
and the good word of thy Lord was fulfilled on the children of Israel because
they had borne up with patience: and we
destroyed the works and the structures of Pharaoh and his people:
And we
brought the children of
For the
worship they practise will be destroyed, and that which they do, is vain."
He
said, "Shall I seek any other god for you than God, when it is He who hath
preferred you above all other peoples?"
And
remember when we rescued you from the people of Pharaoh they had laid on you a
cruel affliction; they slew your sons, and let only your daughters live, and in
this was a great trial from your Lord.
And we
appointed a meeting with Moses for thirty nights, which we completed with then
other nights, so that his whole time with his Lord amounted to forty nights.
Then said Moses to his brother Aaron, "Take thou my place among my people,
and act rightly, and follow not the way of the corrupt doers."
And
when Moses came at our set time and his Lord spake with him, he said, "O
Lord, shew thyself to me, that I may look upon thee." He said, "Thou
shalt not see Me; but look towards the mount, and if it abide firm in its
place, then shalt thou see Me." And when God manifested Himself to the
mountain he turned it to dust! and Moses fell in a swoon.
7:140 And when he came to himself, he said,
"Glory be to thee! To thee do I turn in penitence, and I am the first of
them that believe."
He
said, "O Moses! thee above all men have I chosen by my commissions, and by
my speaking to thee. Take therefore what I have brought thee, and be one of
those who render thanks.
And we
wrote for him upon the tables a monition concerning every matters, and said,
"Receive them thyself with steadfastness, and command thy people to
receive them for the observance of its most goodly precepts: -- I will shew you the abode of the wicked."
The
unjustly proud ones of the earth will I turn aside from my signs, for even if
they see every sign they will n ot believe them; and if they see the path of uprightness,
they will not take it for their path, but if they see the path of error, for
their pasty will they take it.
This,
-- for that they treated our signs as lies, and were heedless of them.
Vain
will be the works of those who treated our signs, and the meeting of the life
to come, as lies! Shall they be rewarded but as they have wrought?
And
the people of Moses took during his absence a calf made of their ornaments, and
ruddy like gold, and lowing. Saw they not that it could not speak to them, nor guide
them in the way?
Yet
they took it for God and became offenders!
But
when they repented, and saw that they had erred, they said, Truly if our Lord
have no mercy on us, and forgive us, we shall surely be of those who perish.
And
when Moses returned to his people, wrathful, angered, he said, "Evil is it
that you have done next upon my departure. Would you hasten on the judgments of
your Lord?" And he threw down the tables, and seized his brother by the
head and dragged him unto him. Said he, "Son of my mother! the people
thought me weak, and had well nigh slain me. Make not mine enemies to rejoice
over me, and place me not among the wrong doers."
7:150 He said, "O Lord, forgive me and
my brother, and bring us into thy mercy' for of those who shew mercy thou art
the most merciful."
Verily
as to those who took the calf as a god, wrath from their Lord shall overtake
them, and shame in this present life: for thus
recompense we the devisers of a lie.
But to
those who have done evil, then afterwards repent and believe, thy Lord will
thereafter be Lenient, Merciful.
And
when the anger of Moses was stilled, he took up the tables; and in their
writing was guidance and mercy for those who dread their Lord.
And
Moses chose seventy men of his people for a meeting appointed by us. And when
the earthquake overtook them, he said, "O my Lord! if it had been thy
pleasure, thou hadst destroyed them and me ere this! wilt thou destroy us for
what our foolish ones have done? It is nought by thy trial: thou wilt mislead by it whom thou wilt, and guide
whom thou wilt. Our guardian, thou! Forgive us then and have mercy on us; for
of those who forgive art thou the best:
And
write down for us what is good in this world, as well as in the world to come,
for to thee are we guided." He said, "My chastisement shall fall on
whom I will, and my mercy embraceth all things, and I write it down for those
who shall fear me, and pay the alms, and believe in our signs,
Who shall
follow the Apostle, the unlettered Prophet -- whom they shall find described
with them in the Law and Evangel. What is right will he enjoin them, and forbid
them what is wrong, and will allow them healthful viands and prohibit the
impure, and will ease them of their burden, and of the yokes which were upon
them; and those who shall believe in him, and strengthen him, and help him, and
follow the light which hath been sent down with him, -- these are they with
whom it shall be well."
Say to
them: O men! Verily I am God's apostle to you
all;
Whose
is the kingdom of the Heavens and of the Earth! There is no God but He! He
maketh alive and killeth! Therefore believe on God, and his Apostle -- the
unlettered Prophet -- who believeth in God and his word. And follow him that
you may be guided aright.
And
among the people of Moses there is a certain number who guide others with
truth, and practise what is right according to it.
7:160 And we divided the Israelites into
twelve tribes, as nations; and we revealed unto Moses when the people asked
drink of him -- "Strike the rock with thy staff:"
and there gushed forth from it twelve fountains -- the men all knew their
drinking places. And we caused clouds to overshadow them, and send down upon
them the manna and the quails.... "Eat of the good things with which we
have supplied you." But it was not us whom they injured, but they injured
their own selves:
And
when it was said to them, "Dwell in this city, and eat therefrom what you
will, and say 'Hittat" (forgiveness), and enter the gate with
prostrations; then will we pardon your offences -- we will give increase to the
doers of good:"
But
the ungodly ones among them changed that word into another than that which had
been told me: therefore sent we forth wrath out
of Heaven upon them for their wrong doings.
And
ask them about the city that stood by the sea, when its inhabitants broke the
Sabbath; when their fish came to them on their Sabbath day appearing openly,
but came not to them on the day when they kept no Sabbath. Thus did we make
trial of them, for that they were evildoers.
And
when some of them said, why warn you those whom God would destroy or chastise
with terrible chastisement? they said, For our own excuse with your Lord; and
that they may fear Him.
And
when they forgot their warnings, we delivered those who had forbidden evil; and
we inflicted a severe chastisement on those who had done wrong, for that they
were evil doers.
But
when they proudly persisted in that which we forbidden, we said to them,
"Become scouted apes;" and then thy Lord declared that until the day
of the resurrection, he would surely send against them (the Jews) those who
should evil entreat and chastise them: for
prompt is thy Lord to punish; and He is Forgiving, Merciful.
And we
have divided them upon the Earth as peoples:
some of them are upright and some are otherwise; and by good things and by evil
things have we proved them, to the intent that they might return to us.
And
they have had successors to succeed them: they
have inherited the Book: they have received
the passing good things of this lower world, and say, "It will be forgiven
us." Yet if the like good things came to them again, they would against
receive them. But hath there not been received on their part a covenant through
the Scripture that they should speak nought of God but the truth? And yet they
study its contents. But the mansion of the next world hath more value for those
who fear God -- Do you not then comprehend? --
And
who hold fast the Book, and observe prayer:
verily, we will not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish.
7:170 And when we shook the mount over them
as if it had been a shadow, and they thought it falling upon them...
"Received, said we, with steadfastness what we have brought you, and
remember what is therein, to the end that you may fear God."
And
when thy Lord brought forth their descendants from the reins of the sons of
Adam and took them to witness against themselves, "Am I not," said
He, "your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we witness it." This we
did, lest you should say on the day of Resurrection, "Truly, of this were
we heedless, because uninformed;"
Or
lest you should say, "Our fathers, indeed, aforetime joined other gods
with our God, and we are their seed after them:
wilt thou destroy us for the doings of vain men?"
Thus
make we our signs clear: that haply they may
return to God.
Receite
to them the history of him to whom we vouchsafed our signs, and who departed
from the, so that Satan followed him, and he became one of the seduced.
Had we
pleased, we had certainly thereby exalted him; but he crouched to the earth and
followed his own list: his likeness,
hterefore, is as that of the dog which lolls out his tongue, whether thou chase
him away, or leave him alone! Such is the likeness of those who treat our signs
as lies. Tell them this tale then, that they may consider.
Evil
the likeness of those who treat our signs as lies! and it is themselves they
injure.
He
whom God guideth is the guided, and they whom he misleadeth shall be the lost.
Many,
moreover, fo the Djinn and men ahve we created for Hell. Hearts have they with
which they understand not, and eyes have they with which they see not, and ears
have they with which they hearken not. They are like the brutes: Yea, they go more astray:
these are the heedless.
Most
excellent titles hath God: by these call you
on Him, and stand aloof from those who pervert his titles For what they have
done shall they be repaid!
7:180 And among those whom we have created
are a people who guide others with truth, and in accordance therewith act
justly.
But as
for those who treat our signs as lies, we will gradually bring
them
down by means of which they know not:
And
though I lengthen their days, verily, my stratagem shall prove effectual.
Will
they not bethink them that their companion Muhammad is not djinn-possessed?
Yes, his office is only that of plain warner.
Will
they not look forth on thr realms of the Heaven and of the Earth, and on all things
which God hath made, to see whether haply their end by not drawing on? And in
what other book will they believe who reject the Koran?
No
other guide for him whom God shall mislead! He will leave them distraught in
their wanderings.
They
will ask thee of the Hour -- for what time is its coming fixed? Say: The knowledge of it is only with my Lord: none shall manifest it in its time but He: it is the burden of the Heavens and of the Earth: not otherwise than on a sudden will it come on
you.
They
will ask thee as if thou wast privy to it. Say:
The knowledge of ti is with none but God. But most men know not this.
Say: I have no control over what may be helpful or
hurtful to me, but as God willeth. Had I the knowledge of this secrets, I
should revel in the good, and evil should not touch me. But I am only a warner,
and an announcer of good tidings to those who believe.
He it
is who hath created you from a single person, and from him brought forth his
wife that he might dwell with her: and when he
had known her, she bore a light burden, and went about with it; and when it
became heavy, they both cried to God their Lord, "If thou give us a
perfect child we will surely be of the thankful."
7:190 Yet when God had given them a perfect
child, they joined partners with Him in return for what he had given them. But
high is God above the partners they joined with Him!
What!
Will they join those with Him who cannot create anything, and are themselves
created, and have no power to help them, or to help themselves?
And if
you summon them to "the guidance," they will not follow you! It is
the same to them whether y summon them or whether you hold your peace!
Truly
they whom you call on beside God, are, like yourselves, His servants! Call on
them then, and let them answer you, if what you say of them be true!
Have
they feet to walk with? Have they hands to hold with? Have they eyes to see
with? Have they ears to hear with? Say: Call
on this joint gods of yours; then make your plot against me, and delay it not.
Verily,
my Lord is God, who hath send down "the Book;" and He is the
protector of the righteous.
But
they whom you call on beside Him, can lend you no help, nor can they help
themselves:
And if
you summon them to "the guidance," they hear you not: thou seest them look towards thee, but they do not
see!
Make
the best of things; and enjoin what is just, and withdraw from the ignorant:
And if
stirrings to evil from Satan stir thee, fly thou for refuge to God: He verily heareth, knoweth!
7:200 Verily, they who fear God, when some
phantom from Satan toucheth them, remember Him, and lo! they see clearly.
Their
Brethren will only continue them in error, and cannot preserve themselves from
it.
And
when thou bringest not a verse (sign) of the Koran to them, they say,
"hast thou not yet patched it up? Say: I
only follow my Lord's utterances to me. This is a clear proof on the part of
your Lord, and a guidance and a mercy for those who believe.
And
when the Koran is read, then listen you to it and keep silence, that haply you
may obtain mercy.
And
think within thine own self on God, with lowliness and with fear and without
loud spoken words, at even and at morn; and be not one of the heedless.
Verily
they who are round about thy Lord disdain not His service. They praise Him and
prostrate themselves before Him.
Sura VIII
The Spoils (8)
[
________________________________________
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
They
will question thee about the Spoils. Say: The spoils
are God's and the apostle's. Therefore, fear God, and settle this among
yourselves; and obey God and his apostle, if you are believers.
Believers
are they only whose hearts thrill with fear when God is named, and whose faith
increaseth at each recital of his signs, and who put their trust in their Lord;
Who
observe the prayers, and give alms out of that with which we have supplied
them;
These
are the believers: their due grade awaiteth
them in the presence of their Lord, and forgiveness, and a generous provision.
Remember
how thy Lord caused thee to go forth from thy home on a mission of truth, and
part of the believers were quite averse to it:
They
disputed with thee about the truth which had been made so clear, as if they
were being led forth to death, and saw it before them:
And
remember when God promised you that one of the two troops should fall to you,
and you desired that they who had no arms should fall to you: but God purposed to prove tree the truth of his
words, and to cut off the uttermost part of the infidels;
That
he might prove his truth to be the truth, and bring nought that which is
nought, though the impious were averse to it:
When
you sought succour of your Lord, and he answered you, "I will verily aid
you with a thousand angels, rank on rank:"
8:10 And God made this promise as pure good
tidings, and to assure your hearts by it: for
succour cometh from God alone! Verily God is Mighty, Wise.
Recollect
when sleep, a sign of security from Him, fell upon you, and he sent down upon
you water from Heaven that he might thereby cleanse you, and cause the
pollution of Satan to pass from you, and that he might gird up your hearts, and
stablish your feet by it:
When
thy Lord spake unto the angels, "I will be with you: therefore stablish you the faithful. I will cast a dread into
the hearts of the infidels." Strike off their heads then, and strike off
from them every finger-tip.
This,
because they have opposed God and his apostle:
And whoso shall oppose God and his apostle.... Verily, God will be severe in
punishment.
"This
for you! Taste it then! and for the infidels is the tortue of the fire!"
O you
who believe! when you meet the marshalled hosts of the infidels, turn not your
backs to them:
Whoso
shall turn his back to them on that day, unless he turn aside to fight, or to
rally to some other troop, shall incur wrath from God:
Hell shall be his abode and wretched the journey thither!
So it
was not you who slew them, but God slew them; and those shafts were God's not
thine! He would make trial of the faithful by a gracious trial from Himself: Verily, God Heareth, Knoweth.
This
befel, that God might also bring to nought the craft of the infidels.
O
Meccans! if you desired a decision, now hath the decision come to you. It will
be better for you if you give over the struggle. If you return to it, we will
return; and your forces, though they be many, shall never avail you aught, for
God is with the faithful.
8:20 O you faithful! obey God and his
apostle, and turn not away from Him, now that you hear the truth;
And be
not like those who say "We hear," when they hear not;
For
the vilest beasts in God's sight, are the deaf, the dumb, who understand not.
Had
God known any good in them, he would certainly have made them hear. But even if
He had made them hear, they would certainly have turned back and withdrawn
afar.
O you
faithful! make answer to the appeal of God and his apostle when he calleth you
to that which giveth you life. Know that God cometh in between a man and his
own heart, and that to him shall you be gathered.
And be
afraid of temptation: the evil doers among you
will not be the only ones on whom it will light:
And know you that God is severe in punishment.
And
remember when you were few, and reputed weak in the land: you feared lest men should pluck you away; then was it that He
took you in and strengthened you with his help, and supplied you with good
things, that haply you might give thanks.
O you
who believe! deal not falsely with God and his apostle; and be not false in
your engagements, with your own knowledge:
And
know that your wealth and your children are a temptation; and that God! with
Him is a glorious recompense.
O you
who believe! if you fear God he will make good your deliverance, and will put
away your sins from you, and will forgive you. God is of great bounteousness!
8:30 And call to mind when the unbelievers
plotted against thee, to detain thee prisoner, or to kill thee, or to banish
thee: They plotted -- but God plotted: and of plotters is god the best!
And
oft as our signs were rehearsed to them, they said, "Now have we heard: if we pleased we could certainly utter its like!
You, it is mere tales of the ancients."
And
when they said, "God! if this be the very truth from before thee, rain
down stones upon us from Heaven, or lay on us some grievous chastisement."
But
God chose not to chastise them while thou wast with them, nor would God
chastise them when they sued for pardon.
But
because they debarred the faithful from the holy temple, albeit they are not
its guardians, nothing is there on their part why God should not chastise them.
The Godfearing only are its guardians; but most of them know it not.
And
their prayer at the house of God is no other than whistling through the fingers
and clapping of the hands -- "Taste then the torment, for that you have
been unbelievers."
The
infidels spend their riches with intent to turn men aside from the way of God: spent it they shall; then shall sighing be upon
them, and then shall they be overcome.
And
the infidels shall be gathered together into Hell,
That
God may separate the bad from the good, and put the bad one upon the other, and
heap them all up and put them into Hell! These are they who shall be lost.
Say to
the infidels: If they desist from their unbelief,
what is now past shall be forgiven them; but if they return to it, they have
already before them the doom of the ancients!
8:40 Fight then against them till strife be
at an end, and the religion be all of it God's. If they desist, verily God beholdeth
what they do: