4 Lit., the preceders, the preceders.

5 See Sura liii. 14, p. 69.

6 Probably the banana according to others, the acacia gummifera.

7 "A Muslim of some learning professed to me that he considered the descriptions of Paradise in the Koran to be, in a great measure, figurative; 'like those,' said he, 'in the book of the Revelation of St. John;' and he a.s.sured me that many learned Muslims were of the same opinion." Lane's Modern Egyptians, i. p. 75, note.

8 Like them, grow not old.

9 This seems a direct contradiction to verse 14, unless we suppose with Beidhawi that an inferior and more numerous cla.s.s of believers are here spoken of.

10 Or, scorching.

11 Lit., not n.o.ble, agreeable in appearance.

12 As to the resurrection.

13 Lit., s.e.m.e.n quod emitt.i.tis.

14 Lit., forestalled, antic.i.p.ated.

15 Lit, have incurred debt.

16 That is, The Prototype of the Koran written down in the Book kept by G.o.d himself.

17 This pa.s.sage implies the existence of copies of portions at least of the Koran in common use. It was quoted by the sister of Omar when at his conversion be desired to take her copy of Sura xx. into his hands.

SURA1-LIII. THE STAR [XLVI.]

MECCA.-62 Verses

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

By the STAR when it setteth,

Your compatriot erreth not, nor is he led astray,

Neither speaketh he from mere impulse.

The Koran is no other than a revelation revealed to him:

One terrible in power2 taught it him,

Endued with wisdom. With even balance stood he

In the highest part of the horizon:

Then came he nearer and approached,

And was at the distance of two bows, or even closer,-

And he revealed to his servant what he revealed.

His heart falsified not what he saw.

What! will ye then dispute with him as to what he saw?

He had seen him also another time,

Near the Sidrah-tree, which marks the boundary.3

Near which is the garden of repose.

When the Sidrah-tree4 was covered with what covered it,5

His eye turned not aside, nor did it wander:

For he saw the greatest of the signs of his Lord.

Do you see Al-Lat and Al-Ozza,6

And Manat the third idol besides?7

What? shall ye have male progeny and G.o.d female?

This were indeed an unfair part.i.tion!

These are mere names: ye and your fathers named them thus: G.o.d hath not sent down any warranty in their regard. A mere conceit and their own impulses do they follow. Yet hath "the guidance" from their Lord come to them.

Shall man have whatever he wisheth?

The future and the present are in the hand of G.o.d:

And many as are the Angels in the Heavens, their intercession shall be of no avail8

Until G.o.d hath permitted it to whom he shall please and will accept.

Verily, it is they who believe not in the life to come, who name the angels with names of females:

But herein they have no knowledge: they follow a mere conceit; and mere conceit can never take the place of truth.

Withdraw then from him who turneth his back on our warning and desireth only this present life.

This is the sum of their knowledge. Truly thy Lord best knoweth him who erreth from his way, and He best knoweth him who hath received guidance.

And whatever is in the Heavens and in the Earth is G.o.d's that he may reward those who do evil according to their deeds: and those who do good will He reward with good things.

To those who avoid great crimes and scandals but commit only lighter faults, verily, thy Lord will be diffuse of mercy. He well knew you when he produced you out of the earth, and when ye were embryos in your mother's womb. a.s.sert not then your own purity. He best knoweth who feareth him.