140. And they say; That which is in the bellies of such cattle is reserved for our males and is forbidden to our.wives; but if it be born dead, then they (all) may be partakers thereof. He will reward them for their attribution (of such ordinances unto Him)."" Lo, He is Wise, Aware.
141. They are losers who besottedly have slain their children without knowledge,* and have forbidden that which Allah bestowed upon them, inventing a lie against Allah. They indeed have gone astray and are not guided.
142. He it is Who produceth gardens trellised and un- trellised, and the date-palm, and crops of divers flavour, and the olive and the pomegranate, like and unlike. Eat ye of the fruit thereof when it fruiteth, and pay the due thereof upon the harvest day, and be not prodigal. Lo! Allah loveth not the prodigals.
143. And of the cattle (He produceth) some for burdens, some for food. Eat of that which Allah hath bestowed upon you, and follow not the footsteps of the devil, for lo! he is an open foe to you.
144. Eight pairs; Of the sheep twain, and of the goats twain. Say: Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females contain? ' vv. 159 and 140 refer to customs of the pagan Arabs.
^ The reference is to the burial alive of female children who were deemed superfluous, and the practice of human sacrifice to idols.
VI CATTLE Expound to me (the case) with knowledge, if ye are truthful/ 145. And of the camels twain and of the oxen twain. Say: Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females contain,* or were ye by to witness when Allah commanded you (all) this? Then who doth greater wrong than he who deviseth a lie concerning Allah, that he may lead mankind astray without knowledge. Lol Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.
146. Say; I find not in that which is revealed unto me aught prohibited to an eater that he eat thereof, except it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or swineflesh—for that verily is foul—or the abomination which was immolated to the name of other than Allah. But whoso is compelled (thereto), neither craving nor transgressing, (for him) lo! your Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.
147. Unto those who are Jews We forbade every animal with claws. And of the oxen and the sheep forbade We unto them the fat thereof save that upon the backs or the entrails, or that which is mixed with the bone. That We awarded them for their rebellion. And lo! We verily are Truthful. 148. So if they give the lie to thee (Muhammad), say: Your Lord is a Lord of all-embracing mercy, and His wrath will never be withdrawn from guilty folk.
149. They who are idolaters will say: Had Allah willed, we had not ascribed (unto Him) partners neither had our fathers, nor had we forbidden aught. Thus did those who were before them give the lie (to Allah’s messengers) till they tasted of the fear of Us. Say: Have ye any knowledge that ye can adduce for us? Lo! ye follow naught but an opinion, Lo! ye do but guess.
^ This and the following verses relate to superstitions of the pagan Arabs with regard to cattle used for food.
SURAH 154 THE GLORIOUS KORAN 150. Say—For Allah’s is the final argument—Had He willed He could indeed have guided all of you.
151. Say: Come, bring your witnesses who can bear witness that Allah forbade (all) this. And if they bear witness, do not thou bear witness with them. Follow thou not the whims of those who deny Our revelations, those who believe not in the Hereafter and deem (others) equal with their Lord. 152. Say; Come, I will recite unto you that which your Lord hath made a sacred duty for you: that ye ascribe no thing as partner unto Him and that ye do good to parents, and that ye slay not your children because of penury—We provide for you and for them—and that ye draw not nigh to lewd things whether open or concealed. And that ye slay not the life which Allah hath made sacred, save in the course of justice. This He hath commanded you, in order that ye may discern.
153. And approach not the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better, till he reach maturity. Give full measure and full weight, in justice. We task not any soul beyond its scope. And if ye give your word, do justice thereunto, even though it be (against) a kinsman; and fulfil the covenant of Allah. This He commandeth you that haply ye may remember.
154. And (He commandeth you, saying): This is My straight path, so follow it. Follow not other ways, lest ye be parted from His way. This hath He ordained for you, that ye may ward off (evil). 155. Again, We gave the Scripture unto Moses, complete for him who would do good, an explanation of all things, a guidance and a mercy, that they might believe in the meeting with their Lord.
156. And this is a blessed Scripture which We have revealed. So follow it and ward off (evil), that ye may find VI CATTLE 157. Lest ye should say: The Scripture was revealed only to two sects before us, and we in sooth were unaware of what they read; 158. Or lest ye should say: If the Scripture had been revealed unto us, we surely had been better guided than are they. Now hath there come unto you a clear proof from your Lord, a guidance and a mercy; and who doeth greater wrong than he who denieth the revelations of Allah, and turneth away from them? We award unto those who turn away from Our revelations an evil doom because of their aversion.
159. Wait they, indeed, for nothing less than that the angels should come unto them, or thy Lord should come, or there should come one of the portents from thy Lord? In the day when one of the portents from thy Lord cometh, its belief availeth naught a soul which theretofore believed not, nor in its belief earned good (by works). Say: Wait ye! Lo! We (too) are waiting.
160. Lo! As for those who sunder their religion and become schismatics, no concern at all hast thou with them. Their case will go to Allah, who then will tell them what they used to do.
161. Whoso bringeth a good deed will receive tenfold the like thereof, while whoso bringeth an ill deed will be awarded but the like thereof; and they will not be wronged.
162. Say: Lo! As for me, my Lord hath guided me unto a straight path, a right religion, the community of Abraham, the upright, who was no idolater.
163. Say; Lo! my worship and my sacrifice and my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
164. He hath no partner. This am I commanded, and I am first of those who surrender (unto Him).
165. Say: Shall I seek another than Allah for Lord, when He is Lord of all things? Each soul earneth only on its own 156 THE GLORIOUS KORAN surah vi account, nor doth any laden bear another’s load. Then unto your Lord is your return and He will tell you that wherein ye difFered.
166. He it is who hath placed you as viceroys of the earth and hath exalted sonie of you in rank above others, that He may try you by (the test of) that which He hath given you. Lo! Thy Lord is swift in prosecution, and lo! He is Forgiving, Merciful.
sOrAH VII Al-A‘raf, “The Heights,” takes its name from a word in v. 46, “And on the Heights are men who know them all by their marks.” The best authorities assign the whole of it to about the same period as Surah VI, i.e. the Prophet’s last year in Mecca, though some consider vv. 163-167 to have been revealed at Al-Madinah. The subject may be said to be the opponents of God’s will and purpose, from Satan onward, through the history of Divine Guidance.
A late Meccan Surah.
THE HEIGHTS Revealed at Mecca In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
1. Alif. Lam. Mtm. Sad.’'
2. (It is) a Scripture that is revealed unto thee (Muhammad)—so let there be no heaviness in thy heart therefrom— that thou mayest warn thereby, and (it is) a Reminder unto believers.
3. (Saying): Follow that which is sent down unto you from your Lord, and follow no protecting friends beside Him. Little do ye recollect!
4. How many a township have We destroyed! As a raid by night, or while they slept at noon. Our terror came unto them.
5. No plea had they, when Our terror came unto them, save that they said: Lo! We were wrong-doers.
6. Then verily We shall question those unto whom (Our * See Sur. II, v. i, footnote.
SURAH 158 THE GLORIOUS KORAN message) hath been sent, and verily We shall question the messengers.
7. Then verily We shall narrate unto them (the event) with knowledge, for verily We were not absent (when it came to pass).
8. The weighing on that day is the true (weighing). As for those whose scale is heavy, they are the successful.
9. And as for those whose scale is light; those are they who lose their souls because they disbelieved Our revelations.
10. And We have given you (mankind) power in the earth, and appointed for you therein a livelihood. Little give ye thanks!
11. And We created you, then fashioned you, then told the angels: Fall ye prostrate before Adam! And they fell prostrate, all save Iblis, who was not of those who make prostration.
.12. He said: What hindered thee that thou didst not fall prostrate when I bade thee? (Iblts) said; I am better than him. Thou createdst me of fire while him Thou didst create of mud.
13. He said: Then go down hence! It is not for thee to show pride here, so go forth! Lo! thou art of those degraded.
14. He said: Reprieve me till the day when they are raised (from the dead).
15. He said: Lo! thou art of those reprieved.
16. He said: Now, because Thou hast sent me astray, verily I shall lurk in ambush for them on Thy Right Path. 17. Then I shall come upon them from before them and from behind theni and from their right hands and from their left hands, and Thou wilt not find most of them beholden (unto Thee).
18. He said: Go forth from hence, degraded, banished. As for such of them as follow thee, surely I will fill hell with all of you.
VII THE HEIGHTS 19. And (unto man): O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden and eat from whence ye will, but come not nigh this tree lest ye become wrong-doers.
20. Then Satan whispered to them that he might manifest unto them that which was hidden from them of their shame, and he said: Your Lord forbade you from this tree only lest ye should become angels or become of the immortals.
21. And he swore unto them (saying): Lo! I am a sincere adviser unto you, 22. Thus did he lead them on with guile. And when they tasted of the tree their shame was manifest to them and they began to hide (by heaping) on themselves some of the leaves of the Garden. And their Lord called them, (saying): Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you: Lo! Satan is an open enemy to you?
23. They said: Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If Thou forgive us not and have not mercy on us, surely we are of the lost! 24. He said: Go down (from hence), one of you a foe unto the other. There will be for you on earth a habitation and provision for a while.
25. He said: There shall ye live, and there shall ye die, and thence shall ye be brought forth.
26. O Children of Adam! We have revealed unto you raiment to conceal your shame, and splendid vesture, but the raiment of restraint from evil, that is best. This is of the revelations of Allah, that they may remember.
27. O Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you as he caused your (first) parents to go forth from the Garden and tore off from them their robe (of innocence) that he might manifest their shame to them. Lo! he seeth you, he and his tribe, from whence ye see him not. Lo! We have made the devils protecting friends for those who believe not.
i6o THE GLORIOUS KORAN surah 28. And when they do some lewdness they say; We found our fathers doing it and Allah hath enjoined it on us. Say: Allah, verily, enjoineth not lewdness. Tell ye concerning Allah that which ye know not?
29. Say: My Lord enjoineth justice. And set your faces, upright (toward Him) at every place of worship and call upon Him, making religion pure for Him (only). As He brought you into being, so return ye (unto Him). 30. A party hath He led aright, while error hath just hold over (another) party, for lo! they choose the devils for protecting friends instead of Allah and deem that they are rightly 31. O Children of Adam! Look to your adornment at every place of worship, and eat and drink, but be not prodigal. Lo! He loveth not the prodigals.
32. Say: Who hath forbidden the adornment of Allah which He hath brought forth for His bondmen, and the good things of His providing? Say: Such, on the Day of Resurrection, will be only for those who believed during the life of the world. Thus do We detail Our revelations for people who have knowledge.
33. Say: My Lord forbiddeth only indecencies, such of them as are apparent and such as are within, and sin and wrongful oppression, and that ye associate with Allah that for which no warrant hath been revealed, and that ye tell concerning Allah that which ye know not.
34. And every nation hath its term, and when its term cometh, they cannot put it off an hour nor yet advance (it).
35. O Children of Adam! If messengers of your own come unto you who narrate unto you My revelations, then whosoever refraineth from evil and amendeth—there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. 36. But they who deny Our revelations and scorn them VII THE HEIGHTS i6i —such are rightful owners of the Fire; they will abide therein.
37. Who doeth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie concerning Allah or denieth Our tokens. (For such) their appointed portion of the Book (of destiny) reacheth them till, when Our messengers* come to gather them, they say: Where (now) is that to which ye cried beside Allah? They say: They have departed from us. And they testify against themselves that they were disbelievers.
38. He saith: Enter into the Fire among nations of the jinn and humankind who passed away before you. Every time a nation entereth, it curseth its sister (nation) till, when they have all been made to follow one another thither, the last of them saith unto the first of them: Our Lord! These led us astray, so give them double torment of the Fire. He saith: For each one there is double (torment), but ye know not, 39. And the first of them saith unto the last of them: Ye were no whit better than us, so taste the doom for what ye used to earn.
40. Lo! they who deny Our revelations and scorn them, for them the gates of Heaven will not be opened nor will they enter the Garden until the camel goeth through the needle’s eye. Thus do We requite the guilty. 41. Theirs will be a bed of Hell, and over them coverings (of Hell). Thus do We requite wrong-doers.
42. But (as for) those who believe and do good works—We tax not any soul beyond its scope—Such are rightful owners of the Garden. They abide therein, 43. And We remove whatever rancour may be in their hearts. Rivers flow beneath them. And they say: The praise to Allah, Who hath guided us to this. We could not truly have been led aright if Allah had not guided us. Verily the ' i,e, angels.
M THE GLORIOUS KORAN SURAH messengers of our Lord did bring the Truth. And it is cried unto them: This is the Garden. Ye inherit it for what ye used to do.
44. And the dwellers of the Garden cry unto the dwellers of the Fire: We have found that which our Lord promised us (to be) the Truth. Have ye (too) found that which your Lord promised the Truth? They say: Yea, verily. And a crier in between them crieth: The curse of Allah is on evil-doers, 45. Who debar (men) from the path of Allah and would have it crooked, and who are disbelievers in the Last Day.
46. Between them is a veil. And on the Heights are men who know them all by their marks. And they call unto the dwellers of the Garden: Peace be unto you! They enter it not although they hope (to enter). 47. And when their eyes arc turned toward the dwellers of the Fire, they say: Our Lord! Place us not with the wrongdoing folk, 48. And the dwellers on the Heights call unto men whom they know by their marks, (saying): What did your multitude and that in which ye took your pride avail you?
49. Are these they of whom ye swore that Allah would not show them mercy? (Unto them it hath been said): Enter the Garden. No fear shall come upon you nor is it ye who will grieve.
50. And the dwellers of the Fire cry out unto the dwellers of the Garden: Pour on us some water or some of that wherewith Allah hath provided you. They say: Lo! Allah hath forbidden both to disbelievers (in His guidance), 51. Who took their religion for a sport and pastime, and whom the life of the world beguiled. So this day We have forgotten them even as they forgot the meeting of this Day and as they used to deny Our tokens.
52. Verily We have brought them a Scripture which We VII THE HEIGHTS expound with knowledge, a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe. 53. Await they aught save the fulfilment thereof? On the day when the fulfilment thereof cometh, those who were before forgetful thereof will say: The messengers of our Lord did bring the Truth! Have we any intercessors, that they may intercede for us? Or can we be returned (to life on earth), that we may act otherwise then we used to act? They have lost their souls, and that which they devised hath failed them.
54. Lo! your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then mounted He the Throne. He covereth the night with the day, which is in haste to follow it, and hath made the sun and the moon and the stars subservient by His command. His verily is all creation and commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!
55. (O mankind!) Call upon your Lord humbly and in secret. Lo! He loveth not aggressors.
56. Work not confusion in the earth after the fair ordering (thereof), and call on Him in fear and hope. Lo! the mercy of Allah is nigh unto the good.
57. And He it is Who sendeth the winds as tidings heralding His mercy, till, when they bear a cloud heavy (with rain). We lead it to a dead land, and then cause water to descend thereon and thereby bring forth fruits of every kind. Thus bring We forth the dead. Haply ye may remember. 58. As for the good land, its vegetation cometh forth by permission of its Lord; while as for that which is bad, only evil cometh forth (from it). Thus do We recount the tokens for people who give thanks.
59. We sent Noah (of old) unto his people, and he said: O my people! Serve Allah. Ye have no other God save Him. Lo! I fear for you the retribution of an Awful Day.
i64 the glorious KORAN surah 60. The chieftains of his people said: Lo! we see thee surely in plain error.
61. He said: O my people! There is no error in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the Worlds, 62. I convey unto you the messages of my Lord and give good counsel unto you, and know from Allah that which ye know not.
63. Marvel ye that there should come unto you a Reminder from your Lord by means of a man among you, that he may warn you, and that ye may keep from evil, and that haply ye may find mercy.
64. But they denied him, so We saved him and those with him in the ship, and We drowned those who denied Our tokens. Lo! they were blind folk.
65. And unto (the tribe of) A'ad (We sent) their brother, Hud.‘ He said: O my people! Serve Allah. Ye have no other God save Him. Will ye not ward off (evil)? 66. The chieftains of his people, who were disbelieving, said: Lo! we surely see thee in foolishness, and lo! we deem thee of the liars.
67. He said: O my people! There is no foolishness in me, but I am a messenger from the Lord of the Worlds.
68. I convey unto you the messages of my Lord and am for you a true adviser.
69. Marvel ye that there should come unto you a Reminder from your Lord by means of a man among you, that he may warn you? Remember how He made you viceroys after Noah’s folk, and gave you growth of stature. Remember (all) the bounties of your Lord, that haply ye may be successful.
70. They said: Hast come unto us that we should serve Allah alone, and forsake what our fathers worshipped? Then ^ An ancient Arab prophet.
THE HEIGHTS vri bring upon us that wherewith thou threatenest us if thou art of the truthful I 71. He said: Terror and wrath from pour Lord have already fallen on you. Would ye wrangle with me over names which ye have named, ye and your fathers, for which no warrant from Allah hath been revealed? Then await (the consequence), lo! I (also) am of those awaiting (it).
72. And We saved him and those with him by a mercy from Us, and We cut the root of those who denied Our revelations and were not believers. 73. And to (the tribe of) Thamud (We sent) their brother Salih.' He said: O my people! Serve Allah. Ye have no other God save Him. A wonder from your Lord hath come unto you. Lo! this is the camel of Allah, a token unto you; so let her feed in Allah’s earth, and touch her not with hurt lest painful torment seize you.
74. And remember how He made you viceroys after A‘ad and gave you station in the earth. Ye choose castles in the plains and hew the mountains into dwellings. So remember (all) the bounties of Allah and do not evil, making mischief in the earth.
75. The chieftains of his people, who were scornful, said unto those whom they despised, unto such of them as believed: Know ye that Salih is one sent from his Lord? They said: Lo! In that wherewith he hath been sent we are believers.
76. Those who were scornful said: Lo! in that which ye believe we are disbelievers.
77. So they hamstrung the she-camel, and they flouted the commandment of their Lord, and they said: O Salih! Bring upon us that thou threatenest if thou art indeed of those sent (from Allah).
• An ancient Arab prophet.
THE GLORIOUS KORAN sArah 78. So the earthquake seized them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling-place. 79. And Salih turned from them and said: O mp people! I delivered my Lord’s message unto you and gave you good advice, but ye love not good advisers.
80. And Lot! (Remember) when he said unto his folk: Will ye commit abomination such as no creature ever did before you?
81. Lo! ye come with lust unto men instead of women. Nay, but ye are w'anton folk.
82. And the answer of his people was only that they said (one to another): Turn them out of your township.^ They are folk, forsooth, who keep pure.
83. And We rescued him and his household, save his wife, who was of those who stayed behind.
84. And We rained a rain upon them. See now the nature of the consequence for evil-doers!
85. And unto Midian (We sent) their brother, Shu'eyb.® He said: O my people! Serve Allah. Ye have no other God save Him. Lo! a clear proof hath come unto you from your Lord; so give full measure and full weight and wrong not mankind in their goods, and work not confusion in the earth after the fair ordering thereof. That will be better for you, if ye are believers, 86. Lurk not on every road to threaten (wayfarers), and to turn away from Allah’s path him who believeth in Him, and to seek to make it crooked. And remember, when ye were but few, how He did multiply you. And see the nature of the consequence for the corrupters! 87. And if there is a party of you which believeth in that * The Arabic word Qariah means originally a settled community, polity or civilisation.
“ Identified with Jethro.
VII THE HEIGHTS wherewith I have been sent, and there is a party which be- lieveth not, then have patience until Allah judge between us. He is the best of all who deal in judgement.
88. The chieftains of his people, who were scornful, said: Surely we will drive thee out, O Shu'eyb, and those who believe with thee, from our township, unless ye return to our religion. He said: Even chough we hate it?
89. We should have invented a lie against Allah if we returned to your religion after Allah hath rescued us from it. It is not for us to return to it unless Allah should (so) will. Our Lord comprehendeth all things in knowledge. In Allah do we put our trust. Our Lord! Decide with truth between us and our folk, for Thou art the best of those who make decision.
90. But the chieftains of his people, who were disbelieving, said: If ye follow Shu'eyb, then truly ye shall be the losers.
91. So the earthquake seized them, and morning found them prostrate in their dwelling-place. 92. Those who denied Shu‘eyb became as though they had not dwelt there. Those who denied Shu'eyb, they were the losers.
93. So he turned from them and said: O my people! I delivered my Lord’s messages unto you and gave you good advice; then how can I sorrow for a people that rejected (truth)?
94. And We sent no prophet unto any township but We did afflict its folk with tribulation and adversity that haply they might grow humble.
95. Then changed We the evil plight for good till they grew affluent and said: Tribulation and distress did touch our fathers. Then We seized them unawares, when they perceived not.
SURAH i68 THE GLORIOUS KORAN 96. And if the people of the townships had believed and kept from evil, surely We should have opened for them blessings from the sky and from the earth. But (unto every messenger)they gave the lie, and so We seized them on account of what they used to earn.
97. Are the people of the townships then secirre from the coming of Our wrath upon them as a night-raid while they sleep?
98. Or are the people of the townships then secure from the coming of Our wrath upon them in the daytime while they play?
99. Are they then secure from Allah’s scheme? None deemeth himself secure from Allah s scheme save folk that perish. 100. Is it not an indication to those who inherit the land after its people (who thus reaped the consequence of evil- doing) that, if We will, We can smite them for their sins and print upon their hearts so that they hear not?
101. Such were the townships. We relate some tidings of them unto thee (Muhammad). Their messengers verily came unto them with clear proofs (of Allah’s Sovereignty), but they could not believe because they had before denied. Thus doth Allah print upon the hearts of disbelievers (that they hear not).
102. We found no (loyalty to any) covenant in most of them. Nay, most of them We found wrong-doers.
103. Then, after them. We sent Moses with our tokens unto Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they repelled them. Now, see the nature of the consequence for the corrupters!
104. Moses said: O Pharaoh! Lo! I am a messenger from the Lord of the Worlds, 105. Approved upon condition that I speak concerning Allah nothing but the truth. I come unto you (lords of VII THE HEIGHTS 169 Egypt) with a clear proof from your Lord. So let the Children of Israel go with me.
106. (Pharaoh) said: If thou comest with a token, then produce it, if thou art of those who speak the truth. 107. Then he flung down his staff and lo! it was a serpent manifest; 108. And he drew forth his hand (from his bosom), and lo! it was white for the beholders.
109. The chiefs of Pharaoh’s people said: Lo! this is some knowing wizard, no. Who would expel you from your land. Now what do ye advise 1 111. They said (unto Pharaoh): Put him off (a while)—him and his brother—and send into the cities summoners, 112. To bring each knowing wizard unto thee.
113. And the wizards came to Pharaoh, saying: Surely there will be a reward for us if we are victors.
114. He answered: Yea, and surely ye shall be of those brought near (to me).
115. They said: O Moses! Either throw (first) or let us be the first throwers?
116. He said: Throw! And when they threw they cast a spell upon the people’s eyes, and overawed them, and produced a rftighty spell.
117. And We inspired Moses (saying): Throw thy staff! And lo! it swallowed up their lying show.
118. Thus was the Truth vindicated and that which they were doing was made vain.
119. Thus were they there defeated and brought low.
120. And the wizards fell down prostrate, 121. Crying: We believe in the Lord of the Worlds, 122. The Lord of Moses and Aaron.
123. Pharaoh said: Ye believe in Him before I give you 170 THE GLORIOUS KORAN surah leave! Lo! this is tKe plot that ye have plotted in the city that ye may drive its people hence. But ye shall come to know!
124. Surely I shall have your hands and feet cut off upon alternate sides. Then I shall crucify you every one.
125. They said: Lo! We are about to return unto our Lord!
126. Thou takest vengeance on us only forasmuch as we believed the tokens of our Lord when they came unto us, Our Lord! Vouchsafe unto us stedfastness and make us die as men who have surrendered (unto Thee).
127. The chiefs of Pharaoh’s people said: (O King), wilt thou suffer Moses and his people to niake mischief in the land, and flout thee and thy gods? He said: We will slay their sons and spare their women, for lo! we are in power over them.
128. And Moses said unto his people: Seek help in Allah and endure. Lo! the eatth is Allah’s. He giveth it for an inheritance to whom He will. And lo! the sequel is for those who keep their duty (unto Him).
129. They said: We suffered hurt before thou earnest unto us, and since thou hast come unto us. He said: It may be that your Lord is going to destroy your adversary and make you viceroys in the earth, that He may see how ye behave. 130. And We straitened Pharaoh’s folk with famine and the dearth of fruits, that peradventure they might heed.
131. Butwhenevergoodbefellthem, they said: This is ours; and whenever evil smote them they ascribed it to the evil auspices of Moses and those with him. Surely their evil auspice was only with Allah. But most of them knew not.
132. And they said: Whatever portent thou bringest wherewith to bewitch us, We shall not put faith in thee.
133. So We sent them the flood and the locusts and the vermin and the frogs and the blood—a succession of clear signs. But they were arrogant and became guilty.
VII THE HEIGHTS 134. And when the terror fell on them they cried; O Moses! Pray for us unto thy Lord, because He hath a covenant with thee. If thou removest the terror from us we verily will trust thee and will let the Children of Israel go with thee.
135. But when We did remove from them the terror for a term which they must reach, behold! they broke their covenant.
136. Therefore We took retribution from them; therefore We drowned them in the sea; because they denied Our revelations and were heedless of them. 137. And We caused the folk who were despised to inherit the eastern parts of the land and the western parts thereof which We had blessed. And the fair word of the Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel because of their endurance; and We annihilated (all) that Pharaoh and his folk had done and chat they had contrived.
138. And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and they came unto a people who were given up to idols which they had. They said; O Moses! Make for us a god even as they have gods. He said: Lo! ye are a folk who know not.
139. Lo! as for these, their way will be destroyed and.all that they are doing is in vain.
140. He said: Shall I seek for you a god other than Allah when He hath favoured you above (all) creatures?
141. And (remember) when We did deliver you from Pharaoh’s folk who were afflicting you with dreadful torment, slaughtering your sons and sparing your women. That was a tremendous trial from your Lord. 142. And when We did appoint for Moses thirty nights (of solitude), and added to them ten, and he completed the whole time appointed by his Lord of forty nights; and Moses said unto his brother; Take my place among the people. Do right, and follow not the way of mischief-makers.
172 THE GLORIOUS KORAN surah 143. And when Moses came to Our appointed tryst and his Lord had spoken unto him, he said: My Lord! Show me (Thy self), that 1 may gaze upon Thee. He said: Thou wilt not see Me, but gaze upon the mountain! If it stand still in its place, then thou wilt see Me. And when his Lord revealed (His) glory to the mountain He sent it crashing down. And Moses fell down senseless. And whefi he woke he said: Glory unto Thee! I turn unto Thee repentant, and I am the first of (true) believers.
144. He said: O Moses! I have preferred thee above mankind by My messages and by My speaking (unto thee). So hold that which I have given thee, and be among the thankful.
145. And We wrote for him, upon the tablets, the lesson to be drawn from all things and the explanation of all things, then (bade him): Hold it fast; and command thy people (saying): Take the better (course made clear) therein. I shall show thee the abode of evil-livers. 146. I shall turn away from My revelations those who magnify themselves wrongfully in the earth, and if they see each token believe it not, and if they see the way of righteousness choose it not for (their) way, and if they see the way of error choose it for (their) way. That is because they deny Our revelations and are used to disregard them.
147. Those who deny Our revelations and the meeting of the Hereafter, their works are fruitless. Are they requited aught save what they used to do?
148. And the folk of Moses, after (he had left them), chose a calf (for worship), (made) out of their ornaments, of saffron hue,' which gave a lowing sound. Saw they not that it spake not unto them nor guided them to any way? They chose it, and became wrong-doers.
* Or a body. But, as the word in the Arabic (Jasai) can only mean a body of flesh and blood, the meaning "saffron-coloured” better fits the context.
VII THE HEIGHTS 149. And when they feared the consequences thereof and saw that they had gone astray, they said: Unless our Lord have mercy on us and forgive us, we verily are of the lost. 150. And when Moses returned unto his people, angry and grieved, he said: Evil is that (course) which ye took after I had left you. Would ye hasten on the judgement of your Lord? And he cast down the tablets, and he seized his brother by the head, dragging him toward him. He said: Son of my mother! Lo! the folk did judge me weak and almost killed me. Oh, make not mine enemies to triumph over me and place me not among the evil-doers!
151. He said: My Lord! Have mercy on me and on my brother; bring us into Thy mercy. Thou the Most Merciful of all who show mercy.
152. Lo! those who chose the calf (for worship), terror from their Lord and humiliation will come upon them in the life of the world. Thus do We requite those who invent a lie, 153. But those who do ill deeds and afterward repent and believe—lo! for them, afterward, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
154. Then, when the anger of Moses abated,'he took up the tablets, and in their inscription there was guidance and mercy for all those who fear their Lord. 155. And Moses chose of his people seventy men for Our appointed tryst and, when the trembling came on them, he said: My Lord! If thou hadst willed Thou hadst destroyed them long before, and me with them. Wilt thou destroy us for that which the ignorant among us did? It is but Thy trial (of us). Thou sendest whom Thou wilt astray and guidest whom Thou wilt. Thou art our Protecting Friend, therefore forgive us and have mercy on us. Thou, the Best of all who show forgiveness.
156. And ordain for us in this world that which is good.
and in the Hereafter (that which is good), Lo! We have THE GLORIOUS KORAN SURAH turned unto Thee. He said; I smite with My punishment whom I will, and My mercy embraceth all things, therefore I shall ordain it for rhose who ward off (evil) and pay the poor-due, and rhose who believe Our revelations;