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but GOD is witness that they do certainly lie. (109) Stand not up to pray therein for ever. There is a temple founded on piety, from the first day of its building. It is more just that thou stand up to pray therein: therein are men who

which they performed, and made it a dunghill. According to another account, this mosque was built a little before the expedition of Tabúq, with a design to hinder Muhammad's men from engaging therein; and when he was asked to pray there, he answered that he was just setting out on a journey, but that when he came back, with God's leave, he would do what they desired; but when they applied to him again, on his return, this passage was revealed."-Sale, Jalaluddin.

A lurking-place for him, &c. "That is, Ábu Amír, the monk, who was a declared enemy to Muhammad, having threatened him at Ohod, that no party should appear in the field against him but he would make one of them; and, to be as good as his word, he continued to oppose him till the battle of Hunain, at which he was present; and being put to flight with those of Hawázín, he retreated into Syria, designing to obtain a supply of troops from the Grecian emperor to renew the war; but he died at Kinnisrín. Others say that this monk was a confederate at the war of the ditch, and that he fled thence into Syria."-Sale, Jaláluddín.

(109) A temple founded on piety, viz., "that of Qubá, a place about two miles from Madína, where Muhammad rested four days before he entered that city, in his flight from Makkah, and where he laid the foundation of a mosque, which was afterwards built by Banu Ámru Ibn Auf. But according to a different tradition, the mosque here meant was that which Muhammad built at Madína."

Men who love to be purified. "Al Baidhawi says that Muhammad, walking once with the Muhájjarín to Qubá, found the Ansárs sitting at the mosque door, and asked them whether they were believers, and, on their being silent, repeated the question; whereupon Omar answered that they were believers; and Muhammad demanding whether they acquiesced in the judgment Omar had made of them, they said yes. He then asked them whether they would be patient in adversity and thankful in prosperity, to which they answering in the affirmative, he swore by the Lord of the Kaabah that they were true believers. Afterwards he examined them as to their manner of performing the legal washings, and particularly what they did after easing themselves. They told him that in such a case they used three stones, and after that washed with water; upon which he repeated these words of the Qurán to them."-Sale.

The purity and holiness required by the Qurán is invariably of this character. The traditions relating to purification are simply abominable, and yet they were scrupulously taught to every Muslim woman and to every youth, the Mullah gravely introducing the subject by the statement that there is no shame in religion. Thus by striving after ceremonial cleanliness the very fountain of moral purity is polluted.

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love to be purified, for GOD loveth the clean. (110) Whether therefore is he better who hath founded his building on the fear of GOD and his good-will, or he who hath founded his building on the brink of a bank of earth which is washed away by waters, so that it falleth with him into the fire of hell? GOD directeth not the ungodly people. (111) Their building which they have built will not cease to be an occasion of doubting in their hearts, until their hearts be cut in pieces; and GOD is knowing and wise.

|| (112) Verily GOD hath purchased of the true believers their souls and their substance, promising them the enjoyment of Paradise on condition that they fight for the cause of GOD: whether they slay or be slain, the promise for the same is assuredly due by the law, and the gospel, and the Qurán; and who performeth his contract more faithfully than GOD? Rejoice therefore in the contract which ye have made. This shall be great happiness. (113) The penitent, and those who serve God and praise him, and who fast, and bow down, and worship, and who command that which is just and forbid that which is evil, and keep the ordinances of GOD, shall likewise be rewarded with Paradise: wherefore bear good tidings unto the faithful.

(110) Compare with the simile used by our Lord in Matt. vii. 24-27.

(111) Until their hearts be cut in pieces. "Some interpret these words of their being deprived of their judgment and understanding, and others of the punishment they are to expect, either of death in this world, or of the rack of the sepulchre, or the pains of hell."Sale.

Others refer it to the bitter pangs of conscience, See Rodwell's note in loco.

(112) God hath purchased... their souls, i.e.," He has been pleased to grant them the joys of Paradise for their meritorious works."Tafsir-i-Raufi.

It would appear that there is a double purchase-the believer's purchase of Paradise by works of merit and God's purchase of believers by the allurements of Paradise. The salvation of a soul here is dependent on its readiness "to fight for the cause of God."

The promise for the same, &c. "God hath purchased the souls of believers; in return they are to enjoy Paradise if they fight for God.

(114) It is not allowed unto the Prophet, nor those who are true believers, that they pray for idolaters, although they be of kin, after it is become known unto them that they are inhabitants of hell. (115) Neither did Abraham ask forgiveness for his father, otherwise than in pursuance of a promise which he had promised unto him; but when it became known unto him that he was an enemy unto GOD, he declared himself clear of him. Verily Abraham Conquered or slain, this is promised in the law, the gospel, and the Korán. This verse is perhaps the greatest untruth in the whole of the Korán."-Brinckman's "Notes on Islám."

Certainly the statement recorded in this verse has no foundation in truth. The teaching is diametrically opposed to all the doctrine of the Bible. The passage, however, illustrates the ignorance of Muhammad as to Biblical teaching and his unscrupulous habit of bolstering up the doctrines of his Qurán by assertions contrary to truth. Worse than this, these are all put into the mouth of the God of truth. (114) It is not allowed... to pray for idolaters. "This passage was revealed, as some think, on account of Abu Tálib, Muhammad's uncle and great benefactor, who, on his deathbed, being pressed by his nephew to speak a word which might enable him to plead his cause before God, that is, to profess Islám, absolutely refused. Muhammad, however, told him that he would not cease to pray for him till he should be forbidden by God-which he was by these words. Others suppose the occasion to have been Muhammad's visiting his mother Amina's sepulchre at al Abwá, soon after the taking of Makkah ; for they say that while he stood at the tomb he burst into tears, and said, 'I asked leave of God to visit my mother's tomb, and he granted it me; but when I asked leave to pray for her, it was denied me.""-Sale, Baidhawi.

After it is become known. "By their dying infidels. For otherwise it is not only lawful but commendable to pray for unbelievers, while there are hopes of their conversion."-Sale.

The passage clearly teaches that Muslims are permitted to pray for departed friends, provided they were not idolaters. What advantages can accrue to the dead from these prayers is not clear. The Muslim doctors say it secures a mitigation of the punishment of the grave and of the pains to be inflicted on the judginent-ay. It has been made the basis of as profitable a business to the Muslim priests as ever Purgatory brought to the priests of Rome.

(115) A promise, viz., "To pray that God would dispose his heart to repentance. Some suppose this was a promise made to Abraham by his father, that he would believe in God. For the words may be taken either way."-Sale.

Clear of him. "Desisting to pray for him, when he was assured by inspiration that he was not to be converted; or after he actually died an infidel.”—Sale.

See notes on chap. vi. 77-84.

was pitiful and compassionate. (116) Nor is GOD disposed to lead people into error after that he hath directed them, until that which they ought to avoid is become known unto them; for GOD knoweth all things. (117) Verily unto GOD belongeth the kingdom of heaven and of earth; he giveth life and he causeth to die; and ye have no patron or helper besides GOD. (118) GOD is reconciled. unto the Prophet, and unto the Muhájjirín and the Ansárs, who followed him in the hour of distress, after that it had wanted little but that the hearts of a part of them had swerved from their duty: afterwards was he turned unto them, for he was compassionate and merciful towards

Abraham was pitiful, &c. It is here suggested that Abraham's condition and feeling was like that of Muhammad. The passage seems to teach that Abraham's pity and compassion were chiefly manifest before the command of God came forbidding their exercise.

(116) Nor is God to lead people into error, i.e., "To consider or punish them as transgressors. This passage was revealed to excuse those who had prayed for such of their friends as had died idolaters before it was forbidden, or else to excuse certain people who had ignorantly prayed towards the first Qibla, and drank wine, &c."— Sale.

Sin, according to most Muslim authorities, is a conscious act committed against known law, wherefore sins of ignorance are not numbered in the catalogue of crimes. The "leading into error" mentioned seems to be equivalent to a retributive giving over to reprobation.

(118) God is reconciled to the Prophet, &c. "Having forgiven the crime they committed, in giving the hypocrites leave to be absent from the expedition to Tabúq, or for the other sins which they might, through inadvertence, have been guilty of. For the best men have need of repentance."-Sale, Baidhawi.

This passage declares Muhammad to have been in fault in permitting those to remain at home who had requested permission to do so. This passage is contrary to the Muslim belief that Muhammad was always inspired. For if so, how err in the matter here reproved? It also animadverts the doctrine of Muhammad's being absolutely sinless. See note on chap. ii. 253.

The hour of distress, viz., "In the expedition of Tabúq, wherein Muhammad's men were driven to such extremities that, besides what they endured by reason of the excessive heat, ten men were obliged to ride by turns on one camel, and provisions and water were so scarce that two men divided a date between them, and they were obliged to drink the water out of the camels' stomachs."-Sale, Baidhawi.

them. (119) And he is also reconciled unto the three who were left behind, so that the earth became too strait for them, notwithstanding its spaciousness, and their souls became straitened within them, and they considered that there was no refuge from GOD, otherwise than by having recourse unto him. Then was he turned unto them that they might repent, for GOD is easy to be reconciled and merciful.

|| (120) O true believers, fear GOD and be with the sin- R 15 cere. (121) There was no reason why the inhabitants of Madína, and the Arabs of the desert who dwell around them, should stay behind the Apostle of GOD, or should prefer themselves before him. This is unreasonable, because they are not distressed either by thirst, or labour, or hunger, for the defence of GOD's true religion; neither do they stir a step which may irritate the unbelievers; neither do they receive from the enemy any damage, but a good

(119) The three who were left behind. "Or, as it may be translated, who were left in suspense, whether they should be pardoned or not. These were three Ansárs, named Qáb Ibn Málik, Halál Ibn Umaiya, and Marára Ibn Rabí, who went not with Muhammad to Tabúq, and were therefore, on his return, secluded from the fellowship of the other Muslims, the Prophet forbidding any to salute them or to hold discourse with them; under which interdiction they continued fifty days, till, on their sincere repentance, they were at length discharged from it by the revelation of this passage."-Sale. See note on ver. 106 above.

God is easy to be reconciled. It was Muhammad who was not easy to be reconciled, and yet he deliberately ascribes all he had done to God. Is it possible to believe him sincere in this business? If so, there is no apparent alternative but to regard him as being given over to believe a lie.

(121) Should prefer themselves before him. "By not caring to share with him the dangers and fatigues of war. Al Baidhawi tells us, that after Muhammad had set out for Tabúq, one Abu Khaithama, sitting in his garden, where his wife, a very beautiful woman, had spread a mat for him in the shade, and had set new dates and fresh water before him, after a little reflection, cried out, 'This is not well, that I should thus take my ease and pleasure while the Apostle of God is exposed to the scorching of the sunbeams and the inclemencies of the air;' and immediately mounting his camel, took his sword and lance, and went to join the army."-Sale.

A good work is written down, &c., i.e., though they sit idly by, so far as the warfare is concerned, yet they receive benefit through the

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