believe, and those who Judaize, and Christians, and Sabians, whoever ǝelieveth in God, and the last day, and doth that which is right, they shall have their reward with their LORD; there shall come no fear on them, neither shall they be grieved. Call to mind also when we accepted your covenant, and lifted up the mountain of Sinai over you, saying, Receive the law which we have given you, with a resolution to keep it, and rememFer that which is contained therein, that ye may beware. After this ye again turned back, so that if it had not been for God's indulgence and mercy towards you, ye had certainly been destroyed. Moreover ye know what befell those of your nation who transgressed on the sabbath day: We said unto them, Be ye changed into apes, driven away from the society of men. And we made them an example unto those who were contemporary with them, and unto those who came after them, and a warning to the pious. And when Moses said unto his people, Verily God commandeth you to sacrifice a cow; they answered, Dost thou make a

From these words, which are repeated in the fifth chapter, several writers' have wrongly concluded that the Mohammedans hold it to be the doctrine of their prophet, that every man may be saved in his own religion, provided he be sincere and lead a good life. It is true, some of their doctors do agree this to be the purport of the words;* out then they say the latitude hereby granted was soon revoked, for that this passage is abrogated by several others in the Koran, which expressly declare that none can be saved who is not of the Mohammedan faith; and particularly by those words of the third chapter, Whoever followeth any other religion than Islam (i. e. the Mohammedan), it shall not be accepted of him, and at the last day he shall be of those who perish. However, others are of opinion that this passage is not abrogated, but interpret it differently; taking the meaning of it to be, that no man, whether he be a Jew, a Christian, or a Sabian, shall be excluded from salvation, provided he quit his erroneous religion and become a Moslem, which they say is intended by the following words, Whoever believeth in God and the last day, and doth that which is right. And this interpretation is approved by Mr. Reland, who thinks the words here import no more than those of the apostle, In every nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him; from which it must not be inferred that the religion of nature, or any other, is sufficient to save, without faith in Christ."

The Mohammedan tradition is, that the Israelites refusing to receive the law of Moses, God tore up the mountain by the roots, and shook it over their heads, to terrify them into a compliance.'

The story to which this passage refers is as follows. In the days of David some Israelites dwelt at Ailah, or Elath, on the Red Sea, where on the night of the sabbath the fish used to come in great numbers to the shore, and stay there all the sabbath, to tempt them; but the night following they returned into the sea again. At length, some of the inhabitants, neglecting God's coinmand, catched fish on the sabbath, and dressed and ate them; and afterwards cut canals from the sea, for the fish to enter, with sluices, which they shut on the sabbath, to prevent their return to the sea. The other part of the inhabitants, who strictly observed the sabbath, used both persuasion and force to stop this impiety, but to no purpose, the offenders growing only more and more obstinate; whereupon David cursed the sabbath-breakers, and God transformed them into apes. It is said, that one going to see a friend of his that was among them, found him in the shape of an ape, moving his eyes about wildly, and asking him whether he was not such a one? the ape made a sign with his head, that it was he; whereupon the friend said to him, Did not I advise you to desist? at which the ape wept. They add, that these unhappy people remained three days in this condition, and were afterwards destroyed by a wind which swept them all into the sea."

> The occasion of this sacrifice is thus related. A certain man at his death left his son, then a child, a cow-calf, which wandered in the desert till he came to age; at which time his

Selden. de Jure. Nat. et Gentium sec. Hebr. 1, 6, c. 12. Angel. a. S. Joseph. Gazophylac. Persic. p. 365. Nic. Cusanus in Cribratione Alcorani, 1, 3, c. 2, &c. • See Chardin's Voyages, vol. ii. p. 326, 331. Abu'lkasem Hebatallah de Abrogante et Abrogato. Acts x. 35. Vide Reland. de Rel. Moham. p. 128, &c. Jallalo'ddin Abu'lfeda.

jest of us ! Moses said, GOD forbid that I should be one of the foolish. They said, Tray for us unto thy LORD, that he would show us wnat cow it is. Moses answered, He saith, She is neither an old cow, nor a young heifer, but of a middle age between both: do ye therefore that which ye are commanded. They said, Pray for us unto thy LORD, that he would show us what colour she is of. Moses answered, He saith, She is a red cow, intensely red, her colour rejoiceth the beholders. They said, Pray for us unto thy LORD, that he would further show us what cow it is, for several cows with us are like one another, and we, if GoD please, will be directed. Moses answered, He saith, She is a cow not broken to plough the earth, or water the field, a sound one,* there is no blemish in her. They said, Now hast thou brought the truth. Then they sacrificed her; yet they wanted but little of leaving it undone. And when ye slew a man, and contended among yourselves concerning him, GoD brought forth to light that which ye concealed. For we said, Strike the dead body with part of the sacrificed cow so GoD raiseth the dead to life, and showeth you his signs, that peradventure ye may understand. Then were your hearts hardened after this, even as stones, or exceeding them in hardness: for from some stones have rivers bursted forth, others have been rent in sunder, and water hath issued from them, and others have fallen down for fear of Gor But GOD is not regardless of that which ye do. Do ye therefore desire that the Jews should believe you? yet a part of them heard the word of God, and then perverted it, after they had understood it, against their own conscience. And when they meet the true believers, they say, We believe: but when they are privately assembled together, they say, Will ye acquaint them

mother told him the heifer was his, and bid him fetch her, and sell her for three pieces of gold. When the young man came to the market with his heifer, an angel in the shape of a man accosted him, and bid him six pieces of gold for her; but he would not take the money till he had asked his mother's consent; which when he had obtained he returned to the market-place, and net the angel, who now offered him twice as much for the heifer, provided he would say nothing of it to his mother; but the young man refusing, went and acquainted her with the additional offer. The woman perceiving it was an angel, bid her son go back and ask him what must be done with the heifer; whereupon the angel told the young man, that, in a little time, the children of Israel would buy that heifer of him at any price. And soon after it happened that an Israelite, named Hammiel, was killed by a relation of his, who, to prevent discovery, conveyed the body to a place considerably distant from that where the fact was committed. The friends of the slain man accused some other persons of the murder before Moses; but they denying the fact, and there being no evidence to convict them, God commanded a cow, of such and such particular marks, to be killed; but there being no other which answered the description, except the orphan's heifer, they were obliged to buy her for as much gold as her hide would hold; according to some, for her full weight in gold, and, as others say, for ten times as much. This heifer they sacrificed, and the dead body being, by divine direction, struck with a part of it, revived, and standing up, named the person who had killed him; after which it immediately fell down dead again. The whole story seems to be borrowed from the ed heifer, which was ordered by the Jewish law to be burnt, and the ashes kept for puritying those who happened to touch a dead corpse; and from the heifer directed to be slain for the expiation of an uncertain murder. See Deut. xxi. 1—9.

The epithet in the original is yellow; but this word we do not use in speaking of tae colour of cattle.

"That hath not suffered the approach of the male."-Savary.

Because of the exorbitant price which they were obliged to pay for the heifer.

i. e. Her tongue, or the end of her tail.

with what God hath revealed unto you, that they may dispute with you concerning it in the presence of your LORD? Do ye not therefore understand? Do not they know that God knoweth that which they conceal as well as that which they publish? But there are illiterate men among them, who know not the book of the law,† but only lying stories, although they think otherwise. And woe unto them, who transcribe corruptly the book of the law with their hands, and then say, This is from God: that they may sell it for a small price. Therefore woe unto them because of that which their hands have written; and woe unto them for that which they have gained. They say, The fire of hell shall not touch us but for a certain number of days. Answer, Have ye received any promise from God to that purpose? for God will not act contrary to his promise: or do ye speak concerning God that which ye know not? Verily whoso doth evil, and is encompassed by his iniquity, they shall be the companions of hell fire, they shall remain therein for ever: but they who believe and do good works, they shall be the companions of paradise, they shall continue therein for ever. Remember also, when we accepted the covenant of the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall not worship any other except GoD, and ye shall show kindness to your parents and kindred, and to orphans, and to the poor, and speak that which is good unto men, and be constant at prayer, and give alms. Afterwards ye turned back, except a few of you, and retired afar off. And when we accepted your covenant, saying, Ye shall not shed your brother's blood, nor dispossess one another of your habitations; then ye confirmed it, and were witnesses thereto. Afterwards ye were they who slew one another,' and turned several of your brethren out of their houses, mutually assisting each other against them with injustice and enmity; but if they come captives unto you, ye redeem them: yet it is equally unlawful for you to dispossess them. Do ye therefore believe in part of the book of the law, and reject other part thereof? But whoso among you doth this, shall have no other reward than shame in this life, and on the day of resurrection they

See we not the consequences thereof?"-Savary.

"Among them the vulgar know the Pentateuch only by tradition. They have but a blind belief."-Savary.

Mohammed again accuses the Jews of corrupting their scripture.

That is, says Jallalo'ddin, forty; being the number of days that their forefathers worshipped the golden calf; after which they gave out that their punishment should cease. It is a received opinion among the Jews at present, that no person, be he ever so wicked, or of whatever sect, shall remain in hell above eleven months, or at most a year; except Dathan and Abiram, and atheists, who will be tormented there to all eternity.

By evil in this case the commentators generally understand polytheism or idolatry; which sin, the Mohammedans believe, unless repented of in this life, is unpardonable, and will be punished by eternal damnation; but all other sins they hold will at length be forgiven. This therefore is that irremissible impiety, in their opinion, which in the New Testament is called the sin against the Holy Ghost.

This passage was revealed on occasion of some quarrels which arose between the Jews of the tribes of Koreidha, and those of al Aws, al Nadhir, and al Khazraj, and came to that height that they took arms and destroyed one another's habitations, and turned one another out of their houses; but when any were taken captive, they redeemed them. When they were asked the reason of their acting in this manner, they answered, That hey were commanded by their law to redeem the captives, but that they fought out of shame, lest their chiefs should be despised."

• Vide Bartoloccii Biblioth. Rabbinic. tom. 2, p. 123, et t. 3, p. 421.

'Jallalo'ddin.

shall be sent to a most grievous punishment; for GoD is not regardless of that which ye do. These are they who have purchased this present life, at the price of that which is to come; wherefore their punishment shall not be mitigated, neither shall they be helped. We formerly delivered the book of the law unto Moses, and caused apostles to succeed him, and gave evident miracles to Jesus the son of Mary, and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Do ye therefore, whenever an apostle cometh unto you with that which your souls desire not, proudly reject him, and accuse some of im- · posture, and slay others? The Jews say, Our hearts are uncircumcised: but God hath cursed them with their infidelity ;* therefore few shall believe. And when a book came unto them from God, confirming the scriptures which were with them, although they had before prayed for assistance. against those who believed not,' yet when that came unto them which they knew to be from God, they would not believe therein: therefore the curse of God shall be on the infidels. For a vile price have they sold their souls, that they should not believe in that which God hath sent down; out of envy, because God sendeth down his favours to such of his servants as he pleaseth: therefore they brought on themselves indignation on indignation; and the unbelievers shall suffer an ignominious punishment. When one saith unto them, Believe in that which God hath sent down; they answer, We believe in that which hath been sent down unto us:" and they reject what hath been revealed since, although it be the truth, confirming that which is with them. Say, Why therefore have ye slain the prophets of God in times past, if ye be true believers? Moses formerly came unto you with evident signs, but ye afterwards took the calf for your god and did wickedly. And when we accepted your covenant, and lifted the mountain of Sinai over you,' saying, Receive the law which we have given you, with a resolution to perform it, and hear; they said, We have heard, and have rebelled: and they were made to drink down the calf into their hearts for their unbelief. Say, A grievous thing hath your faith commanded you, if ye be true believers? Say, if the future mansion with God be prepared pecu

We must not imagine Mohammed here means the Holy Ghost, in the Christian acceptation. The conimentators say, this spirit was the angel Gabriel, who sanctified Jesus, and constantly attended on him.

"God hath cursed them because of their perfidy. O how small is the number of the true believers!"-Savary.

The Jews, in expectation of the coming of Mohammed (according to the tradition of his followers) used this prayer, O God, help us against the unbelievers, by the prophet who is to be sent in the last times."

The Koran.

The Pentateuch.

See before p. 9.

Moses took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to pow der, and strewed it upon the water (of the brook that descended from the mount), and made the children of Israel drink of it.'

Mohammed here infers from their forefathers' disobedience in worshipping the calf, at the same time that they pretended to believe in the law of Moses, that the faith of the Jews in his time was as vain and hypocritical, since they rejected him, who was foretold therein, as an impostor."

⚫ Jallalo'ddin. Yahya, al Beidawi.

• Idem.

Exod. xxxii. 20; Deut. ix. 21.

• Jallaio ddın.

liarly for you, exclusive of the rest of mankind, wish for death, if ye say truth; but they, will never wish for it, because of that which their hands have sent before them; GOD knoweth the wicked-doers; and thou shalt surely find them of all men the most covetous of life, even more than the idolaters: one of them would desire his life to be prolonged a thousand years, but none shall reprieve himself from punishment, that his life may be prolonged: GoD seeth that which they do. Say, Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel (for he hath caused the Koran to descend on thy heart, by the permission of God, confirming that which was before revealed, a direction, and good tidings to the faithful); whosoever is an enemy to GOD, or his angels, or his apostles, or to Gabriel, or Michael, verily GoD is an enemy to the unbelievers. And now we have sent down unto thee evident signs,' and none will disbelieve them but the evil-doers. Whenever they make a covenant, will some of them reject it? yea, the greater part of them do not believe. And when there came unto them an apostle from GoD, confirming that scripture which was with them, some of those to whom the scriptures were given cast the book of God behind their backs, as if they knew it not: and they followed the device which the devils devised against the kingdom of Solomon; and Solomon was not an unbeliever; but the devils believed not, they taught men sorcery, and that which was sent down to the two angels at Babel,* Harût and Marût: yet those two taught no man until

u

That is, by reason of the wicked forgeries which they have been guilty of in respect to the scriptures. An expression, much like that of St. Paul where he says, that some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment.3

The commentators say, that the Jews asked, what angel it was that brought the divine revelations to Mohammed; and being told that it was Gabriel, they replied that he was their enemy, and the messenger of wrath and punishment; but if it had been Michael, they would have believed in him, because that angel was their friend, and the messenger of peace and plenty. And on this occasion, they say, this passage was revealed.

That Michael was really the protector or guardian angel of the Jews, we know from scripture; and it seems that Gabriel was, as the Persians call him, the angel of revelations, being frequently sent on messages of that kind; for which reason, it is probable, Mohamined pretended he was the angel from whom he received the Koran.

'i. e. The revelations of this book.

The devils having, by God's permission, tempted Solomon without success, they made use of a trick to blast his character. For they wrote several books of magic, and hid them under that prince's throne, and after his death told the chief men that if they wanted to know by what means Solomon had obtained his absolute power over men, genii, and the winds, they should dig under his throne; which having done, they found the aforesaid hooks, which contained impious superstitions. The better sort refused to learn the evil arts therein delivered, but the common people did; and the priests published this scandalous story of Solomon, which obtained credit among the Jews, till God, say the Mohammedans, cleared that king by the mouth of their prophet, declaring that Solomon was no idolater."

He (the devil) taught unto men magic and the science of the two angels, Harût and Marût, who are condemned to remain at Babylon.”—Savary.

Some say only that these were two magicians or angels sent by God to teach men magic, and to tempt them. But others tell a longer fable; that the angels expressing their surprise at the wickedness of the sons of Adam, after prophets had been sent to them with divine commissions, God bid them choose two out of their own number to be sent down to be judges on earth. Whereupon they pitched upon Harût and Marût, who executed their office with integrity for some time, till Zohara, or the planet Venus, descended and appeared before them in the shape of a beautiful woman bringing a complaint 1 Tim. v. 24. Jallalo'ddin. al Zamakh. Yahya. Dan. xii. 1. ch. vii. 16. and ix. 21.; Luke i. 19, 26. See Hyde de Rel. Vet. Persar. p. 263. Jallalo'ddin. Jallalo'ddin.

4

Ibid.

Yahya.