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'Sisters' are variously given as Suras xi., xxi., lvi., lxix., lxxvii., lxxviii., lxxxi., and ci.; all Meccan, and some of them very early Suras."-Muir's Life of Mahomet, vol. ii. p. 88.

Probable Date of the Revelations.

As to the date of composition, little can be said that is satisfactory beyond the fact that it belongs to a period of Muhammad's prophetic career at Makkah when the opposition of the Quraish was very fierce. A part of the chapter would seem to indicate the period immediately preceding the Ban of the Húshimites, say B.H. 4 (see note on ver. 91), but the greater part must be referred to a period succeeding that event (see notes on vers. 37 and 55).

Principal Subjects.

The Qurán a revelation from God

Muhammad a warner and a preacher of goodness.
Infidels cannot hide their sin from God
God the Creator and Preserver of all creatures
The resurrection rejected by the infidels as sorcery
They scoff at threatened punishment

Mercy and judgment alike disregarded by infidels
Those who persevere in good works shall be rewarded.
The unbelievers demand a sign from heaven
Muhammad charged with forging the Quran

He challenges the infidels to produce ten chapters like it, or
to become Muslims

The miserable fate of those who live for this present world.
Moses and the Jews attest the truth of the Qurán

The maligners of prophets shall be cursed

The blessed portion of believers .

Similitudes of believers and unbelievers

The History of Noah :—

He is sent as a public preacher

VERSES

I, 2

3-5

6

7,8

8

9

IO, II

12

13

14

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14, 15

16, 17

18

19-23

24

25

26, 27

28

The chiefs of his people reject him as a liar.
Noah protests his integrity-Refuses to drive away his
poor followers-Deprecates being thought a seer or
an angel

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His people challenge him to bring on the threatened
judgment

Noah declares that God destroys and saves whom he

pleaseth.

Noah's people declare his message a forgery.

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God tells Noah that no more of his people will believe

on him.

He is commanded to make an ark

Noah builds the ark and is derided by the people
Embarks with his followers and one pair each of the

animals .

Noah in vain entreats his unbelieving son to embark
The waters abate and the ark rests on Al Júdi
Noah pleads with God for his son.

God reproves him for his intercession for his son
Noah repents and asks pardon for his fault.

He descends from the ark

This history a secret revealed to Muhammad

The History of Húd:

He is sent to call Ád from idolatry

The Adites reject him as a liar

Húd protests his integrity, and declares his trust in

God to save him from their plots

God delivers Húd and his followers

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He is sent to call the Thamúdites from idolatry
They reject his message

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Sálih protests his integrity, and gives them a she-camel

as a sign from God.

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54-57

58

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59, 60

61

62

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77-79

They kill the camel, and are threatened with destruction
Sálih and his followers are saved from destruction
The Thamúdites are miserably destroyed

The History of Abraham and Lot :

God's messengers sent to Abraham-He entertains them
He is filled with fear because they refuse to eat his meat
The angels quiet his fears and tell him they are sent to

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The Sodomites attack his house

The angels warn Lot to leave the city and inform him
of the destruction impending over his people and
his wife .

The cities are overthrown and the people killed by a
shower of bricks

80

81, 82

The History of Shuaib :—

He is sent to call the Midianites from idolatry

He reproaches them for dishonest weights and measures
The people reject him, refusing to leave their idols
Shuaib protests his integrity, and exhorts them to flee
the fate of the people of Noah, Húd, Sálih, and
Lot

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The people threaten to stone him

Shuaib threatens them with Divine judgment

VERSES

83 84-86 87

88-90

91

92-94

God destroys the infidels, but saves Shuaib and his

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The condition of the righteous and wicked in judgment. 106-109
Muhammad not to doubt about the religion of the Quarish
The Quarish doubt the Qurán as the Jews did the Penta-
teuch.

God will punish their evil deeds

Muhammad exhorted to be steadfast.

An exhortation to prayer.

God just in destroying the unbelieving cities

The unbelievers predestinated to damnation

The whole history of the prophets related to Muhammad
Unbelievers threatened

Muhammad exhorted to put his trust in God

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III

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IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

|| (1) A. L. R. (2) This book, the verses whereof are Rt. guarded against corruption, and are also distinctly ex

(1) A. L. R. See Prelim. Disc., pp. 100-102.

66

(2) Guarded against corruption. According to the various senses which the verb uhkimat in the original may bear, the commentators suggest as many different interpretations. Some suppose the meaning to be, according to our version, that the Qurán is not liable to be corrupted, as the law and the gospel have been in the opinion of the Muhammadans: others, that every verse in this particular chapter

plained, is a revelation from the wise, the knowing God: (3) that ye serve not any other GOD (verily I am a denouncer of threats, and a bearer of good tidings unto you from him); (4) and that ye ask pardon of your LORD, and then be turned unto him. He will cause you to enjoy a plentiful provision, until a prefixed time; and unto every one that hath merit by good works will he give his abundant reward. But if ye turn back, verily I fear for you the punishment of the great day: (5) unto GOD shall ye return; and he is almighty. (6) Do they not double the folds of their breasts, that they may conceal their designs from him? When they cover themselves with their garments, doth not he know that which they conceal and that which they discover? For he knoweth the innermost parts of the breasts of men.

is in full force, and not one of them abrogated; others, that the verses of the Qurán are disposed in a clear and perspicuous method, or contain evident and demonstrative arguments; and others, that they comprise judicial declarations to regulate both faith and practice."-Sale, Baidhawi, Jalaluddin, Zamakhshari. See also Prelim. Disc., sect. iii.

Distinctly explained. "The signification of the verb fussilat, which is here used, being also ambiguous, the meaning of this passage is supposed to be, either that the verses are distinctly proposed or expressed in a clear manner; or that the subject-matter of the whole may be distinguished or divided into laws, monitions, and examples; or else that the verses were revealed by parcels."-Sale.

(3) A denouncer, &c. The usual title claimed at Makkah, and probably assumed along with the prophetic office.

(4) The condition of salvation is here declared to be repentance and good works. See notes on chap. iii. 31.

(6) Double... their breasts. "Or, as it may be translated, 'Do they not turn away their breasts?'"-Sale. Rodwell has it," Do they not doubly fold up their breasts?"

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He knoweth the innermost parts. "This passage was occasioned by the words of the idolaters, who said to one another, When we let down our curtains (such as the women use in the East to screen themselves from the sight of the men, when they happen to be in the room), and wrap ourselves up in our garments, and fold up our breasts, to conceal our malice against Muhammad, how should he come to the knowledge of it?' Some suppose this passage relates to certain hypocritical Muslims; but this opinion is generally rejected, because this verse was revealed at Makkah, and the birth of hypocrisy among the Muhammadans happened not till after the Hijra."Sale.

SIPARA.

creepeth on the earth TWELFTH
knoweth the place of
The whole is written

(7) There is no creature which but GOD provideth its food; and he its retreat, and where it is laid up. in the perspicuous book of his decrees. (8) It is he who hath created the heavens and the earth in six days (but his throne was above the waters before the creation thereof), that he might prove you, and see which of you would excel in works. If thou say, Ye shall surely be raised again after death; the unbelievers will say, This is nothing but manifest sorcery. (9) And verily if we defer their punishment unto a determined season, they will say, What hindereth it from falling on us? Will it not come upon them on a day, wherein there shall be none to avert it from them; and that which they scoffed at shall encompass them?

|| (10) Verily, if we cause man to taste mercy from us, and R afterwards take it away from him, he will surely become desperate and ungrateful. (11) And if we cause him to taste favour after an affliction had befallen him, he will surely say, The evils which I suffered are passed from me, and he will become joyful and insolent: (12) except those who persevere with patience and do that which is right; they shall receive pardon and a great reward. (13) Per

(7) This passage also teaches the omniscience of God, and also the doctrine of a particular providence. Everything is a matter of eternal decree.

(8) Six days. See chaps. vii. 55, and x. 3.

His throne was, &c. "For the Muhammadans suppose this throne, and the waters whereon it stands, which waters they imagine are supported by a spirit or wind, were, with some other things, created before the heavens and earth. This fancy they borrowed from the Jews, who also say that the throne of glory then stood in the air, and was borne on the face of the waters by the breath of God's mouth" (Rashi ad Gen. i. 2).—Sale.

Manifest sorcery. See note on chap. x. 77.

(11) After an affliction. The allusion is to the famine which befell Makkah, see chap. x. 22 and note. The effect of the withdrawal of mercy is to make the unbeliever "cast aside all hope of Divine favour, for want of patience and God" (Sale); but the restoration of Divine favour has no other effect than to make them "joyful and insolent."

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