among them who hath undertaken to aggravate the same shall suffer a grievous punishment. Did not the faithful men, and the faithful women, when ye heard this, judge in their own minds for the best; and say, This is a manifest falsehood? Have they produced four witnesses thereof? wherefore since they have not produced the witnesses, they are surely liars in the sight of God. Had it not been for the indulgence of God towards you, and his mercy, in this world and in that which is to come, verily a grievous punishment had been inflicted on you, for the calumny which ye have spread when ye published that with your tongues, and spoke that with your mouths, of which ye had no knowledge; and esteemed it to be light, whereas it was a matter of importance in the sight of God.* When ye heard it, did ye say, It belongeth not unto us, that we should talk of this matter: God forbid! this is a grievous calumny. GOD warneth you, that ye return not to the like crime for ever; if ye be true believers. And GOD declareth unto you his signs; for GoD is knowing and wise. Verily they who love that scandal be published of those who believe, shall receive a severe punishment both in this world and in the next. GOD knoweth, but ye know not. Had it not been for the indulgence of God towards you and his mercy, and that GoD is gracious and merciful, ye had felt his vengeance. O true believers, follow not the steps of the devil: for whoso ever shall follow the steps of the devil, he will command them filthy crimes, and that which is unlawful. If it were not for the indulgence of God, and his merey towards you, there had not been so much as one of you cleansed from his guilt for ever: but God cleanseth whom he pleaseth; for God both heareth and knoweth. Let not those among you, who possess abun dance of wealth and have ability, swear that they will not give unto their kindred, and the poor, and those who have fled their country for the sake of God's true religion: but let them forgive, and act with benevolence towards them. Do ye not desire that God should pardon you?" And GoD is gracious and merciful. Moreover they who falsely accuse modest women, who behave in a negligent manner, and are true believers, shall be cursed in this world, and in the world to come; and they shall suffer a severe punishment. One day their own tongues shall bear witness against them, and their hands, and their feet, concerning that which they have done. On viz. Abd'allah Ebn Obba, who had not the grace to become a true believer, but died an infidel.

"Had the divine goodness and clemency not watched over you, this falsehood would have drawn down upon your heads a terrible chastisement. It has passed from mouth to mouth. You have repeated that of which you had no knowledge, and have regarded a slander as a trivial fault: and it is a crime in the eyes of the Eternal."-Savary.

This passage was revealed on account of Abu Beer, who swore that he would not for the future bestow any thing on Mestab, though he was his mother's sister's son, and a poor Mohajer, or refugee, because he had joined in scandalizing his daughter Ayesha. But on Mohammed's reading this verse to him, he continued Mestab's pension,

i. e. Who may be less careful in their conduct, and more free in their behavious, as being conscious of no ill.

Though the words be general, yet they principally regard those who should calumate the prophet's wives. According to a saying of Ebn Abbas, if the threats contained in the whole Korân be examined, there are none so severe as those occasioned by the Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin.

See chap. 9, p. 159.

that day shall GOD render unto them their just due; and they shall know that God is the evident truth. The wicked women should be joined to the wicked men, and the wicked men to the wicked women; but the good women should be married to the good men, and the good men to the good women. These shall be cleared from the calumnies which slanderers speak of them; they shall obtain pardon, and an honourable provision. O true believers, enter not any houses, besides your own houses, until ye have asked leave, and have saluted the family thereof: this is better for you; peradventure ye will be admonished. And if ye shall find no person in the houses, yet do not enter them, until leave be granted you and if it be said unto you, Return back, do ye return back. This will be more decent for you: and GoD knoweth that which ye do. It shall be no crime in you, that ye enter uninhabited houses, wherein ye may meet with a convenience. GOD knoweth that which ye discover, and that which ye conceal. Speak unto the true believers, that they restrain their eyes, and keep themselves from immodest actions: this will be more pure for them; for GoD is well acquainted with that which they do. And speak unto the believing women, that they restrain their eyes, and preserve their modesty, and discover not their ornaments, except what necessarily appeareth thereof; and let them throw their veils over their bosoms, and not show their ornaments, unless to their husbands, or their

e

false accusation of Ayesha; wherefore he thought even repentance would stand her slanderers in no stead.

* Al Beidâwi observes, on this passage, that God cleared four persons, by four extraordinary testimonies: for he cleared Joseph by the testimony of a child in his mistress's family; Moses, by means of the stone which fled away with his garments; Mary, by the testimony of her infant; and Ayesha, by these verses of the Koran.

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To enter suddenly or abruptly into any man's house or apartment is reckoned a great incivility in the East; because a person may possibly be surprised in an indecent action or posture, or may have something discovered which he would conceal. It is said, that a man came to Mohammed, and wanted to know whether he must ask leave to go in to his sister; which being answered in the affirinative, he told the prophet that his sister had nobody else to attend upon her, and it would be troublesome to ask leave every time he went in to her: What, replied Mohammed, wouldst thou see her naked? ↳ Than to be importunate for admission, or to wait at the door.

i. e. Which are not the private habitation of a family; such as public inns, shops, sheds, &c.

As their clothes, jewels, and the furniture of their toilet; much less such parts of their bodies as ought not to be seen.

Some think their outer garments are here meant; and others their hands and faces: it is generally held, however, that a free woman ought not to discover even those parts, unless to the persons after excepted, or on some unavoidable occasion, as their giving evidence in public, taking advice or medicines in case of sickness, &c.

Taking care to cover their heads, necks, and breasts.

(The Turkish women, as we have already stated, never go out without being veiled. In Egypt the women wrap themselves up in a long mantle of black silk, which covers the whole body. On their feet they wear slippers of a very thin yellow leather. Long trowsers, and robes which trail on the ground, prevent their legs from being seen; but, as they wear no stockings, Mohammed forbids them to move their feet about in such a manner as to expose the charms which ought to be concealed. In public they are always dressed with the utmost decency: but in their own houses they lay aside all this accumu sation of covering, and are dressed as slightly as possible.)-Savary.

e

For whose sake it is that they adorn themselves, and who alone have the privilege to see their whole body.

h

fathers, or their husbands' fathers, or their sons, or their husbands' sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or the captives which their right hands shall possess, or unto such men as attend them, and have no need of women, or unto children, who distinguish not the nakedness of women. And let them not make a noise with their feet,* that their ornaments which they hide may thereby be discovered.* And be ye all turned unto God, O true believers, that ye may be happy. Marry those who are single1 among you, and such as are honest of your men-servants and your maid-servants: if they be poor, GoD will enrich them of his abundance; for God is bounteous and wise. And let those who find not a match, keep themselves from fornication, until God shall enrich them of his abundance. And unto such of your slaves as desire a written instrument allowing them to redeem themselves on paying a certain ," write one, if ye know good in them; and give them of the riches of GOD, which he hath given you. And compel not your maid-servants to prostitute themselves, if they be willing to live chastely; that ye may

sum,"

These near relations are also excepted, because they cannot avoid seeing them fre. quently; and there is no great danger to be apprehended from them. They are allowed, therefore, to see what cannot well be concealed in so familiar an intercourse, but no other part of their body, particularly whatever is between the navel and the knees.'

Uncles not being here particularly mentioned, it is a doubt whether they may be admitted to see their nieces. Some think they are included under the appellation of brothers: but others are of opinion that they are not comprised in this exception: and gives this reason for it, viz. lest they should describe the persons of their nieces to their sons."

That is, such as are of the Mohammedan religion; it being reckoned by some unlawful, or, at least, indecent, for a woman, who is a true believer, to uncover herself before one who is an infidel, because she will hardly refrain describing her to the men: but others supposed all women in general are here excepted; for, in this particular, doctors differ."

Slaves of either sex are included in this exemption, and, as some think, domestic servants who are not slaves; as those of a different nation. It is related, that Mohammed once made a present of a man-slave to his daughter Fatema; and when he brought him to her she had on a garment which was so scanty that she was obliged to leave either her head or her feet uncovered: and that the prophet, seeing her in great confusion on that account, told her, she need be under no concern, for that there was none present besides her father and her slave.1

* Or have no desire to enjoy them; such as decrepid old men, and deformed or silly persons, who follow people as hangers on, for their spare victuals, being too despicable to raise either a woman's passion or a man's jealousy. Whether eunuchs are comprehended under this general designation, is a question among the learned.2

"Let them not move about their feet so as to allow those charms to be seen which ought to be veiled."-Savary.

By shaking the rings, which the women in the East wear about their ancles, and are usually of gold or silver. The pride which the Jewish ladies of old took in making c tinkling with these ornaments of their feet, is (among other things of that nature) severely reproved by the prophet Isaiah.

1i. e. Those who are unmarried of either sex; whether they have been married before

or not.

Of either sex.

"Whereby the master obliges himself to set his slave at liberty, on receiving a certain sum of money, which the slave undertakes to pay.

That is, If ye have found them faithful, and have reason to believe they will perform their engagement.

Either by bestowing something on them of your own substance, or by abating them

seek the casual advantage of this present life: but whoever shall compel ther thereto, verily God will be gracious and merciful unto such women after their compulsion. And now have we revealed unto you evident signs, and ɛ history like unto some of the histories of those who have gone before you, and an admonition unto the pious. GOD is the light of heaven and earth: the similitude of his light is as a niche in a wall, wherein a lamp is placed, and the lamp inclosed in a case of glass; the glass appears as it were a shining star. It is lighted with the oil of a blessed tree, an olive neither of the east, nor of the west: it wanteth little but that the oil thereof would give light, although no fire touched it. This is light added unto light. God will direct unto his light whom he pleaseth. GOD propoundeth parables unto men; for God knoweth all things. In the houses which God hath permitted to be raised," and that his name be commemorated therein! men celebrate his praise in the same, morning and evening, whom neither merchandizing nor selling diverteth from the remembering of GoD, and the observance of prayer, and the giving of alms; fearing the day whereon men's hearts and eyes shall be troubled; that God may recompense them according to the utmost merit of what they shall have wrought, and may add unto them of his abundance a more excellent reward; for God bestoweth on whom he pleaseth without measure. But as to the unbelievers, their works are like the vapour in a plain, which the thirsty traveller thinketh to be water, until, when he cometh thereto,

a part of their ransom. Some suppose these words are directed, not to the masters only, but to all Moslems in general; recommending it to them to assist those who have obtained their freedom, and paid their ransom, either out of their own stock, or by admitting them to have a share in the public alms.'

9 It seems Abd'allah Ebn Obba had six women slaves, on whom he had laid a certain tax, which he obliged them to earn by the prostitution of their bodies: and one of them made her complaint to Mohammed, which occasioned the revelation of this passage.

i. e. The story of the false accusation of Ayesha, which resembles those of Joseph and the virgin Mary.*

But of a more excellent kind. Some think the meaning to be that the tree grows neither in the eastern parts nor the western parts, but in the midst of the world, namely in Syria, where the best olives grow.

The oil of which is lighted up at the slightest approach of fire, and produces rays which are incessantly renewed."-Savary.

Or a light whose brightness is doubly increased by the circumstances above-mentioned. The commentators explain this allegory, and every particular of it, with great subtlety; interpreting the light here described, to be the light revealed in the Koran, er God's enlightening grace in the heart of man, and in divers other manners.

The connexion of these words is not very obvious. Some suppose they ought to be joined with the preceding words, Like a niche, or, It is lighted in the houses, &c. and that the comparison is more strong and just, by being made to the lamps in Mosques, which are larger than those in private houses. Some think they are rather to be connected with the following words, Men praise, &c. And others are of opinion they are an imperfect beginning of a sentence, and that the words, Praise ye God, or the like, are to be understood. However, the houses here intended are those set apart for divine worship; or particularly the three principal temples of Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem."

The Arabic word Serâb signifies that false appearance which. in the eastern countries, is often seen in sandy plains about noon, resembling a large lake of water in motion, and is occasioned by the reverberation of the sunbeams. It sometimes tempts thirsty travellers • Iidem. • Iidem.

Al Beidâwi.

Idem, Jallalo'ddin.

• Al Beidâwi.

he findeth it to be nothing; but he findeth God with him, and he wil fully pay him his account; and God is swift in taking an account: or, as the darkness in a deep sea, covered by waves riding on waves, above which are clouds, being additions of darkness one over the other; when one stretcheth forth his hand, he is far from seeing it. And unto whomsoever GOD shall not grant his light, he shall enjoy no light at all. Dost thou not perceive that all creatures both in heaven and earth praise God: and the birds also, extending their wings? Every one knoweth his prayer, and his praise and God knoweth that which they do. Unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth; and unto God shall be the return at the last day. Dost thou not see that God gently driveth forward the clouds, and gathereth them together, and then layeth them on heaps? Thou also seest the rain, which falleth from the midst thereof; and God sendeth down from heaven as it were mountains, wherein there is hail; he striketh therewith whom he pleaseth, and turneth the same away from whom he pleaseth : the brightness of his lightning wanteth but little of taking away the sight." GOD shifteth the night, and the day: verily herein is an instruction unto those who have sight. And God hath created every animal of water; one of them goeth on his belly, and another of them walketh upon two feet, and another of them walketh upon four feet: GoD createth that which he pleaseth; for God is almighty. Now have we sent down evident signs: and GoD directeth whom he pleaseth into the right way. The hypocrites say, We believe in God, and on his apostle; and we obey them: yet a part of them turneth back, after this; but these are not really believers. And when they are summoned before God and his apostle, that he may judge between them; behold, a part of them retire: but if the right had been on their side, they would have come and submitted themselves unto him. Is there an infirmity in their hearts? Do they doubt? Or do they fear lest GOD and his apostle act unjustly towards them? But themselves are the unjust doers. The saying of the true believers, when they are summoned before God and his apostle, that he may judge between them, is no other than that they say, We have heard, and do obey: and these are they who shall prosper. Whoever shall obey GoD and his apostle, and shall fear Gon, and shall be devout towards him; these shall enjoy great felicity. They swear by Gon, with a most solemn oath, that if thou commandest them, out of their way, but deceives them when they come near, either going forward (for it always appears at the same distance), or quite vanishing.'

That is, He will not escape the notice or vengeance of God.

*The refulgence of his lightning dazzleth the feeble eyes of mortals."-Savary. This assertion, which has already occurred in another place, being not true in strictness, the commentators suppose that by water is meant seed; or else that water is mentioned only as the chief cause of the growth of animals, and a considerable and necessary constituent part of their bodies.

This passage was occasioned by Bashir the hypocrite, who, having a controversy with a Jew, appealed to Caab Ebn al Ashraf, whereas the Jew appealed to Mohammed; or, as others tell us, by Mogheira Ebn Wayel, who refused to submit a dispute he had with Ali to the prophet's decision.'

4

Al

Vide Q. Curt. de rebus Alex. lib. vii. et Gol. in Alfrag. p. 111. I. et in Adag. Arab ad cal em Gram. Erb. p. 93. Chap. 21, p. 266. See chap. 4, p. 68. Beidawi.