God blots out what He will, or He confirms; and with Him is the Mother of the Book.

Either we will let thee see a part of what we threaten them with, or we will take thee to Ourself; but thy duty is only to deliver thy message, and ours to reckon up.

Did they not see that we come to the land and diminish the borders thereof? God judges, and there is none to reverse His judgment, and He is swift at reckoning up!

And those who were before them were crafty too; but God's is the craft altogether! He knows what every soul earns; and the misbelievers shall know whose is the recompense of the abode.

And those who misbelieve say, 'Thou art not sent!' Say, 'God is witness enough between me and you; and so is he who has the knowledge of the Book!'

Alluding to the conquests of Islâm.

CHAPTERS FROM THE KORAN

IN

MEDINA SURAS

THE CHAPTER OF THE CONGREGATION

N the name of the merciful and compassionate God. What is in the heavens and what is in the earth celebrates the praises of God the King, the holy, the mighty, the

wise!

He it is who sent unto the Gentiles a prophet amongst themselves to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and the wisdom, although they were before in obvious error.

And others of them have not yet overtaken them1; but He is the mighty, the wise!

That is God's grace, He gives it to whomsoever He will; for God is Lord of mighty grace.

The likeness of those who were charged with the law and then bore it not is as the likeness of an ass bearing books: sorry is the likeness of the people who say God's signs are lies! but God guides not an unjust people.

Say, 'O ye who are Jews! if ye pretend that ye are the clients of God, beyond other people; then wish for death if ye do speak the truth!'

But they never wish for it, through what their hands have sent before! but God knows the unjust.

Say, 'Verily, the death from which ye flee will surely meet you; then shall ye be sent back to Him who knows the unseen and the visible, and He will inform you of that which ye have done!'

O ye who believe! when the call to prayer is made upon the Congregation Day, then hasten to the remembrance of God, and leave off traffic; that is better for you, if ye did but know!

11. e. by embracing Islâm.

2 Friday, called before this 'Harûbah. It was the day on which Moham med entered Medinah for the first time.

And when prayer is performed, then disperse abroad in the land, and crave of God's grace; and remember God much; haply ye may prosper !

But when they see merchandise or sport they flock to it and leave thee standing! Say, 'What is with God is better than sport and than merchandise, for God is the best of providers!'

THE CHAPTER OF THE SPOILS

In the name of the merciful and compassionate God. They will ask thee about the spoils. Say, 'The spoils are God's and the Apostle's; fear God and settle it amongst yourselves; obey God and the Apostle if ye do believe.'

Verily, the believers are those who, when God's name is mentioned, their hearts sink with fear; and when His signs are rehearsed to them they increase them in faith; and on their Lord do they rely; who are steadfast in prayer, and of what we have bestowed upon them give in alms; these are in truth believers; to them are degrees with their Lord, and forgiveness, and a generous provision.

As thy Lord caused thee to go forth from thy house' with the truth, although a sect of the believers were averse therefrom. They wrangled with thee about the truth after it was made plain, as though they were being driven on to death and looked thereon; and when God promised you that one of the two troops should be yours, and ye would fain have had those who had no arms. God wished to prove the truth true by His words, and to cut off the hindermost parts of those who misbelieve-to prove the truth true, and to make vain the vain, although the sinners are averse.

2

When ye asked for succour from your Lord, and He answered you, 'I will assist you with a thousand angels, with others in reserve.'

It is said that one Friday a caravan entered the town while Mohammed was conducting the public prayers, and the congregation hearing the drums beat rushed out to see the sight, with the exception of about twelve of them. 1 At Medinah.

2 The occasion alluded to was one when Mohammed had made preparations for attacking an unarmed caravan on its way from Syria to Mecca, when Abu Sufiân, who was in charge of it, sent to Mecca and obtained an escort of nearly a thousand men; many of Mohammed's followers wished to attack the caravan only, but the prophet and his immediate followers were for throwing themselves on the escort.

God made it only glad tidings to quiet your hearts therewith; for victory is only from God! verily, God is mighty and wise.

When drowsiness covered you as a security from Him, and He sent down upon you from the heavens water to purify you withal, and to take away from you the plague of Satan, and to tie up your hearts and to make firm your footsteps.

When your Lord inspired the angels-Verily, I am with you; make ye firm then those who believe; I will cast dread into the hearts of those who misbelieve,-strike off their necks then, and strike off from them every finger tip.'

That is, because they went into opposition against God and His Apostle; for he who goes into opposition against God and and His Apostle-verily, God is keen to punish.

There, taste it! since for the misbelievers is the torment of the Fire.

O ye who believe! when ye meet those who misbelieve in swarms, turn not to them your hinder parts; for he who turns to them that day his hinder parts, save turning to fight or rallying to a troop, brings down upon himself wrath from God, and his resort is hell, and an ill journey shall it be!

Ye did not slay them, but it was God who slew them; nor didst thou shoot when thou didst shoot, but God did shoot, to try the believers from Himself with a goodly trial; verily, God both hears and knows. There! verily, God weakens the stratagem of the misbelievers.

If ye wish the matter to be decided, a decision has now come to you; but if ye desist, it is better for you; and if ye turn back we will turn too, and your troop shall avail nothing, great in number though it be, since God is with the believers!

O ye who believe! obey God and His Apostle, and turn

The Muslims were fewer in number than the enemy, and the latter had command of the water, at both of which circumstances their hearts sank. In the night, however, rain fell, refreshed them and supplied their wants. 4 Alluding to the alleged miracle of the gravel thrown into the eyes of the Qurais at the battle of Bedr, to which the Muslim victory was due.

An address to the Meccans who, when threatened with an attack from Mohammed, took sanctuary in the Kaabah, and prayed to God that if they were right He would help them, but that if Mohammed was in the right he would help him.

not from Him while ye hear, and be not like those who say, 'We hear,' and yet they hear not.

Verily, the worst of beasts in God's sight are the deaf, the dumb who do not understand. Had God known any good in them, He would have made them hear; but had He made them hear, they would have turned back and have swerved aside.

O ye who believe! answer God and His Apostle when He calls you to that which quickens you; and know that God steps in between man and his heart; and that to Him ye shall be gathered. And fear temptation, which will not light especially on those of you who have done wrong; but know that God is keen to punish.

Remember when ye were few in number and weak in the land, fearing lest people should snatch you away; then He sheltered you and aided you with victory, and provided you with good things; haply ye may give thanks.

O ye who believe! be not treacherous to God and His Apostle; nor be treacherous to your engagement while ye know!

Know that your wealth and your children are but a temptation, and that God—with Him is mighty hire!

O ye who believe! if ye fear God He will make for you a discrimination, and will cover for you your offences, and will forgive you; for God is Lord of mighty grace.

And when those who misbelieve were crafty with thee to detain thee a prisoner, or kill thee, or drive thee forth; they were crafty, but God was crafty too, for God is best of crafty ones!

But when our verses were rehearsed to them they said, 'We have already heard.-If we pleased we could speak like this; verily, this is nothing but tales of those of yore.'

When they said, 'O God! if this be truth, and from Thee, then rain upon us stones from heaven or bring us grievous woe!'

But God would not torment them while thou art amongst them; nor was God going to torment them while they asked Him to forgive. But what ails them that God should not torment them while they turn folk away from the Holy

Here used in the sense of victory.