SURA XXVIII.-THE STORY [LXXIX.]
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Rodwell, J. M. (John Medows)
And he and his hosts behaved themselves proudly and unjustly on the earth, and thought that they should never be brought back to us.
But we seized on him and his hosts and cast them into the sea: Behold, then, the end of the wrongful doers:
And we made them imâms who invite to the fire of hell, and on the day of Resurrection they shall not be helped.
We followed them with a curse in this world, and covered shall they be with shame on the day of Resurrection.
And after we had destroyed the former generations, we gave the book of the Law to Moses for man's enlightening, and a guidance and a mercy, that haply they might reflect.
And thou wast not on the western slope of Sinai when we laid his charge on Moses, nor wast thou one of the witnesses;
But we raised up generations after Moses, men whose days were lengthened;14 neither didst thou dwell among the inhabitants of Madian to rehearse to them our signs, but we sent Apostles to them.15
Nor wast thou on the slope of Sinai when we called to Moses, but it is of the mercy of thy Lord that thou warnest a people, to whom no warner had come before thee, to the intent that they should reflect:
And that they should not say when a calamity shall befal them for their previous handy work, "O our Lord! why hast thou not sent an Apostle to us? Then we should have followed thy signs and have been of the believers."
Yet when the truth came to them from our very presence, they said, "Unless the like powers be given to him that were given to Moses. . . ."16 But did they not disbelieve in what of old was given to Moses? They said, "Two works of sorcery17 have helped each other;" and they said, "We disbelieve them both."
SAY: Bring then a Book from before God which shall be a better guide than these, that I may follow it; if ye speak the truth.
And if they answer thee not, then know that verily they are following their own caprices: and who goeth more widely astray than he who followeth his own caprice without guidance from God? for God guideth not the wicked.
And now have we caused our word to come unto them, that they may be warned:
They18 to whom we gave the Scriptures before IT, do in IT believe.
And when it is recited to them they say, "We believe in it, for it is the truth from our Lord. We were Muslims before it came."
Twice shall their reward be given them, for that they suffered with patience, and repelled evil with good, and gave alms out of that with which we provided them.
And when they hear light discourse they withdraw from it, and say, "Our works for us and your works for you! Peace be on you! We are not in quest of fools!"
Thou truly canst not guide whom thou desirest; but God guideth whom He will; and He best knoweth those who yield to guidance.
But they say, "If we follow the way in which thou art guided,19 we shall be driven from our country." But have we not established for them a sacred secure precinct, to which fruits of every kind, our gift for their support, are gathered together? But most of them have no knowledge.
And how many cities have we destroyed that flourished in wanton ease! And these their dwellings have not been inhabited since their time save by a few, and it is we who became their heirs.
But thy Lord did not destroy the cities till He had sent an apostle to their mother-city to rehearse our signs to its people: nor did we destroy the cities unless its people were unjust.
And all that hath been bestowed on you is merely for enjoyment and pomp of this life present: but that which is with God is better and more lasting. Will ye not be wise?
Shall he then to whom we have promised a goodly promise and who obtaineth it, be as he on whom we have bestowed the enjoyments of this life present, and who on the day of Resurrection shall be brought up for punishment?
On that day will God cry to them and say, "Where are my companions, as ye supposed them?"
They on whom doom shall be justly pronounced will say, "O our Lord! these are they whom we led astray: we led them astray even as we had been led astray ourselves: Thou hast no cause of blame against us: It was not we whom they worshipped.20
And it shall be said, "Call now on those whom ye made God's companions:" and they shall call on them, but they will not answer them. And they shall see the punishment, and wish that they had been guided aright.
And on that day shall God call to them and say, "How answered ye the apostles?"
But on that day they shall be too blinded with confusion to give an account,21 nor shall they ask it of one another.
Yet as to him who shall turn to God and believe and do the thing that is right, it may come to pass that he shall be among the happy.
And thy Lord createth what he will and hath a free choice. But they, the false gods, have no power to choose. Glory be to God! and high let him be exalted above those whom they associate with him.
And thy Lord knoweth what their breasts conceal and what they bring to light.
And He is God! There is no god but He! His, all praise in this life and in the next, and His the power supreme,22 and to Him shall ye be brought back!
SAY: What think ye? If God should enshroud you with a long night until the day of resurrection, what god beside God would bring you light? Will ye not then hearken?
SAY: What think ye? If God should make it one long day for you until the day of resurrection, what god but God could bring you the night in which to take your rest? Will ye not then see?
Of His mercy he hath made for you the night that ye may take your rest in it; and the day that ye may seek what ye need out of his bounteous supplies, and that ye may give thanks.
One day God will call to them and say, "Where are my companions as ye supposed them?
And we will bring up a witness out of every nation and say, "Bring your proofs." And they shall know that the truth is with God alone, and the gods of their own devising shall desert them.
Now Korah23 was of the people of Moses: but he behaved haughtily toward them; for we had given him such treasure that its keys would have burdened a company of men of strength. When his people said to him, "Exult not, for God loveth not those who exult;
But seek, by means of what God hath given thee, to attain the future Mansion; and neglect not thy part in this world, but be bounteous to others as God hath been bounteous to thee, and seek not to commit excesses on the earth; for God loveth not those who commit excesses:"
He said, "It hath been given me only on account of the knowledge that is in me." Did he not know that God had destroyed before him generations that were mightier than he in strength and had amassed more abundant wealth? But the wicked shall not be asked of their crimes.