RUBA.

whom GOD hath cursed; and unto him whom GOD shall curse thou shalt surely find no helper. (51) Shall they have a part of the kingdom, since even then they would not bestow the smallest matter on men? (52) Do they envy other men that which GOD of his bounty hath given them? We formerly gave unto the family of Abraham a book of revelations and wisdom; and we gave them a great kingdom. (53) There is of them who believeth on him; and there is of them who turneth aside from him; but the raging fire of hell is a sufficient punishment. (54) Verily those who disbelieve our signs, we will surely cast to be broiled in hell fire; so often as their skins shall be well burned, we will give them other skins in exchange, that they may taste the sharper torment; for GOD is mighty and wise.

(55) But those who believe and do that which is right, we will bring into gardens watered by rivers, therein shall they remain forever, and there shall they enjoy

idolaters in opposition to Christianity, receive no encouragement from passages like this.

False gods and idols. This is better translated Jibt and Tághút, reference being had to certain idols bearing these names See chap.

ii. 256, note.

The story of the commentators, given by Sale, alleging that the Jews actually worshipped idols at Makkah, is most likely a fabrication.

(51) Shall they have a part of the kingdom? The reference is to Messiah's kingdom, in which the Jews would be restored to their former grandeur.

(52) That which God hath given them, viz., "the spiritual gifts of prophecy and divine revelations, and the temporal blessings of victory and success bestowed on Muhammad and his followers.”— Sale.

The family of Abraham, i.e., the children of Israel. Reference is to the Jews before their apostasy in rejecting Jesus. Compare with preceding verse. See note in chap. iii. 33.

(53) Who believe on him. Sale refers the him to Muhammad, but manifestly primary allusion is to Abraham. The inference is that those who reject the religion of Muhammad also reject the religion of Abraham the Orthodox.

(54) To be broiled, &c. See note, chap. ii. 38.

(55) Who believe and do, &c.

and chap. iii. 15, 31, and 196.

See notes, chap. ii. 25 and 223,

wives free from all impurity; and we will lead them into perpetual shades. (56) Moreover GOD commandeth you to restore what ye are trusted with to the owners; and when ye judge between men, that ye judge according to equity and surely an excellent virtue it is to which GOD. exhorteth you; for Gon both heareth and seeth. (57) O true believers, obey GOD and obey the apostle, and those who are in authority among you; and if ye differ in anything, refer it unto GOD and the apostle, if ye believe in GOD and the last day: this is better, and a fairer method of determination.

|| (58) Hast thou not observed those who pretend they R

(56) God commandeth you, &c. "This passage, it is said, was revealed on the day of the taking of Makkah, the primary design of it being to direct Muhammad to return the keys of the Kaabah to Othmán Ibn Talha Ibn Abdul Dár, who had then the honour to be keeper of that holy place, and not to deliver them to his uncle al Abbas, who having already the custody of the well Zamzam, would fain have had also that of the Kaabah. The Prophet obeying the divine order, Othmán was so aflected with the justice of the action, notwithstanding he had at first refused him entrance, that he immediately embraced Muhammadanism; whereupon the guardianship of the Kaabah was confirmed to this Othmán and his heirs for ever." -Sale, Buidhawi.

If this account of this revelation be correct, it is certainly out of place here, sandwiched in between passages of an earlier date. We think the reference is general, and that the passage is a sort of introduction to what follows. Note that the sentiment of this verse is expressive of high moral principle.

(57) Those who are in authority. This passage teaches the duty of submission to kings and judges, so long as their decisions are in accord with the teaching of God and his Apostle (Abdul Qádir), i.e., so long as they are in accord with the Quran and the traditions.

The doctrine that Muhammad was "free from sin in what he ordered to be done, and in what he prohibited, in all his words and acts," for otherwise obedience to him would not be obedience to God, is based upon this verse among others (see The Faith of Islám, p. 12). But if so, the Aulai al Amri, or those in authority, must also be regarded as sinless and infallible!

The effort to establish the inspiration of the Ahadis or traditions of Islám on grounds like this requires not only inspired Imáms but also inspired Rawis. But all admit that the latter were uninspired, wherefore the science of Muslim tradition is one of the most difficult as well as unsatisfactory departments of Muslim learning. (58) Those who pretend. The hypocrites.

believe in what hath been revealed unto thee, and what hath been revealed before thee? They desire to go to judgment before Tághút, although they have been commanded not to believe in him; and Satan desireth to seduce them into a wide error. (59) And when it is said unto them, Come unto the book which GOD hath sent down, and to the apostle; thou seest the ungodly turn aside. from thee with great aversion. (60) But how will they behave when a misfortune shall befall them, for that which their hands have sent before them? Then will they come unto thee, and swear by GOD, saying, If we intended any other than to do good, and to reconcile the parties. (61) GOD knoweth what is in the hearts of these men; therefore let them alone, and admonish them, and speak unto

Before Tághút. "That is, before the tribunals of infidels. This passage was occasioned by the following remarkable accident. A certain Jew having a dispute with a wicked Muhammadan, the latter appealed to the judgment of Qáb Ibn al Ashraf, the principal Jew, and the former to Muhammad. But at length they agreed to refer the matter to the Prophet singly, who giving it in favour of the Jew, the Muhammadan refused to acquiesce in his sentence, but would needs have it re-heard by Omar, afterwards Khalifah. When they came to him, the Jew told him that Muhammad had already decided the affair in his favour, but that the other would not submit to his determination; and the Muhammadan confessing this to be true, Omar bid them stay a little, and fetching his sword, struck off the obstinate Muslim's head, saying aloud, This is the reward of him who refuseth to submit to the judgment of God and his Apostle.' And from this action Omar had the surname of al Farúk, which alludes both to his separating that knave's head from his body, and to his distinguishing between truth and falsehood. The name of Tághút, therefore, in this place, seems to be given to Qáb Ibn al Ashraf."-Sule, Baidháwi, Abdul Qádir.

This story does not fit in well with the passage it is intended to illustrate, and is probably tagged on here by the commentators, who seem to feel that every allusion of the Qurán must be historically explained. The passage simply refers to the disaffected citizens of Madína, some of whom pretended to be favourable to Muhammad's cause when it was in their interest to do so (see ver. 60), and at other times showed too plainly their liking for the national idolatry, as is intimated in the next verse.

"For this was the excuse of the friends of (60) If we intended. the Muhammadan whom Omar slew, when they came to demand satisfaction for his blood."-Sale, Baidháwi.

them a word which may affect their souls. (62) We have not sent any apostle, but that he might be obeyed by the permission of GOD; but if they, after they have injured their own souls, come unto thee and ask pardon of GOD, and the apostle ask pardon for them, they shall surely find GOD easy to be reconciled and merciful. (63) And by thy LORD they will not perfectly believe until they make thee judge of their controversies; and shall not afterwards find in their own minds any hardship in what thou shalt determine, but shall acquiesce therein with entire submission. (64) And if we had commanded them, saying, Slay yourselves, or depart from your houses; they would not have done it except a few of them. (65) And if they had done what they were admonished, it would certainly have been better for them, and more efficacious for confirming their faith; and we should then have surely given them in our sight an exceeding great reward, (66) and we should have directed them in the right way. (67) Whoever obeyeth GOD and the apostle, they shall be with those

(62) Obeyed by the permission of God. The claim of Muhammad is that he should be implicitly obeyed. All controversies were to be decided by him, and all his decisions were to be "acquiesced in with entire submission." See next verse. There is a remarkable

similarity between this claim of Muhammad and that of the Pope of Rome. He holds the keys of heaven and hell, and pardon is dependent upon his intercesion. He is their rightful judge, and his judgment is infallible. Muhammad seems to arrogate to himself a similar position in this passage.

(64) If we had commanded, &c. "Some understand these words of their venturing their lives in a religious expedition; and others, of their undergoing the same punishments which the Israelites did for their idolatry in worshipping the golden calf.”—Sale.

See chap. ii. 53.

(67) Whosoever obeyeth God and his Apostle. Whilst it is true that rebellion against the messengers of God is rebellion against God, yet there is a vast difference between the teaching of the true messengers of God and that of Muhammad on this point. This habit of associating himself with God, and so making implicit obedience to him necessary to salvation, is not the least of the many blasphemies of Muhammad. Repudiating the divinity of our Lord, Muhammad here claims almost all our Lord claimed by virtue of his divine nature.

10.

unto whom GOD hath been gracious, of the prophets, and the sincere, and the martyrs, and the righteous; and these are the most excellent company. (68) This is bounty from GOD; and GOD is sufficiently knowing.

(69) O true believers, take your necessary precaution against your enemies, and either go forth to war in separate parties, or go forth all together, in a body. (70) There is of you who tarrieth behind; and if a misfortune befall you, R he saith, Verily GOD hath been gracious unto me, that I was not present with them: (71) but if success attend you from GOD, he will say (as if there was no friendship between you and him), Would to GOD I had been with them, for I should have acquired great merit. (72) Let them therefore fight for the religion of GOD, who part with the present life in exchange for that which is to come; for whosoever fighteth for the religion of GOD, whether he be slain or be victorious, we will surely give him a great reward. (73) And what ails you, that ye fight not for GOD's true religion, and in defence of the weak among men, women, and children, who say, O LORD,

(69) Necessary precaution. This verse illustrates how that every dispatch from the orderly-room, so to speak, finds a place in the Qurán. This result is probably due to the faith of the Muslims that every word spoken by their Prophet was a revelation. Hence the inspired character of the traditions. These are, so far as they represent his teaching, fragmentary revelations.

The passage beginning here and ending with verse 83 has for its object the incitement of the Muslims to fight for Islám. By counsel, by reproaches, by taunts, by threats, by exhortation, and by promises the Muslims are urged to fight for the religion of God.

(70) Who tarrieth. The reference is to the hypocrites of Madína, particularly Ibn Ubáí and his companions (Tafsir-i-Raufi).

(71) As if... not friendship, i.e., "as one who attendeth not to the public but his own private interest. Or else these may be the words of the hypocritical Muhammadan himself, insinuating that he stayed not behind the rest of the army by his own fault, but was left by Muhammad, who chose to let the others share in his good fortune preferably to him."-Sale, Baidhawi.

(72) See notes on chap. ii. 190-195, and chap. iii. 157 and 170. (73) And what ails you, &c., viz., "those believers who stayed behind at Makkah, being detained there either forcibly by the idolaters or for want of means to fly for refuge to Madína. Al Baidhawi observes