J. F. Campbell Collection > Koran: or, Alcoran of Mohammed

342
AL KOKAN.
Bouls ; ^ * and Lis wives are tlieir mothers.* Those who are related by con-
sanguinity are uigher of kin the one of them unto the others, according to
the book of God, than the other true believers, and the Mohajeruu :^ unless
that ye do what is fitting and reasonable to youi' relations in general. This
is written in the book of God} liemember when we accepted their covenant
from the prophets,"^ and from thee, Mohammed, and from Noah, and
Abraham, and Moses, and Jesus the son of IMary, and received from
them a firm covenant ; "^ that God may examine the speakers of truth
concerning their veracity : ° and he hath prepared a painful toi-ment for
the unbelievers. true believers, remember the favour of God towards
you when armies of infidels came against you,^ and we sent agtunst
them a wind, and hosts cf ai^geh which ye saw not •.'^ and God beheld that
•■ Commandinf; them nothing but what is for their interest and advantage, and
being more solicitous for their present and future happiness even than themselves;
for which reason he ought to be dear to them, and deserves their utmost love and
respect. In some copies these words are added, And he is u father unto them; every
prophet being the spiritual ftither of his people, who are therefore brethren. It is
said that this passage was revealed on some of Mohammed's followers telling him,
when he summoned them to attend him in the expedition of Tabiic," that they would
ask leave of their fathers and mothers.^
* " The prophet loveth the true believers more than they love themselves." —
Savary.
' Though the sjiiritual relation between Jlohammcd and his people, declared in the
l)receding words, created no impediment to prevent his taking to wife such women
among them as he thought fit ; yet the commentators are of opinion that they are
here forbidden to marry any of his wives.*
^ These words, which also occur, excepting the latter part of the sentence, in the
eighth chapter, abrogate that law concerning inheritances published in the same
chapter, whereby the MohajerQn and Ansars were to be the heirs of one another,
exclusive of their nearer relations who were infidels.^
' I. e. In the preserved Table, or the Koran; or, as others suppose, in the Penta-
teuch.
"• Jallalo'ddin supposes this covenant was made when Adam's posterity were
drawn forth from his loins, and appeared before God like small ants ;* t)ut JMarracci
ronjectures that the covenant here meant was the same which the Talmudists pre-
tend all the prophets entered into with God on Mouut Sinai, where they were all
assembled in person with Moses.'
° Whereby they undertook to execute their several commissions, and promised to
preach the religion commanded them by God.
° i. e. Tliat he may at the day of judgment demand of the prophets in what man-
ner they executed their several commissions, and how they were received by their
people : or, as the words may also import, that he may examine those who believed
on them, concerning their belief, and reward them accordingly,
P These were the forces of the Koreish and the tribe of Ghatfan, confederated
with the Jews of al Nadhir and Koreidha, who besieged Medina to the number of
twelve thousand men, in the expedition called the war of the ditch.
1 On the enemies' approach, Mohammed, by the advice of Salman the Persian,
ordered a deep ditch or entrenchment to be dug round Medina, for the security of
the city, and went out to defend it with three thousand men. Both sides remained
in their camps near a month, without any other acts of hostility than shooting of ar-
rows and slinging of stones; till, in a winter's night, God sent a piercing cold east
wind, which benumbed the limbs of the confederates, blew the dust in their faces,
extinguished their fires, overturned their tents, and put their horses in disorder,
the angels at the same time crying Allah acbar round about their camp ; whereupon
Toleiha Ebn Khowailed, the Asadite, saitl aloud, Mohammed is going to attack you
with enchantments, wherefore provide for your safety by flight : and accordingly tlie
Koreish first, and afterwards the Ghadanites, broke up the siege, and returned
homo; which retreat was also not a little owing to the dissensions among the con-
federate forces, the raising and fomenting whereof the Mohammedans also ascribe
7 See chap. 9, p. 154. ^ a1 Beidawi. ' See the Prelim. Disc. sect. vi. p. 98,
1 See chap. 8, p. 147. ' See chap. 7 p. l'^5. » Sec chap. .3, p. 46.