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

CHAP. lu. AL KORAJy. 51
he pleaseth, and ke piinislieth -whom he pleaseth ; for GCd is mer-
ciful. O true believers, devour not usury, doubling it twofold ; but fear
God, that ye may prosper ; and fear- the fire which is prepared for the
unbelievers ; and obey God, and his apostle, that ye may obtain mercy.
And run with emulation to obtain remission from your Lord, and
paradise, whose breath equcdlelh the heavens and the earth, which ia
prepared for the godly ; who give alms in prosperity and adversity ; who
bridle theii* anger, and forgive men : for God loveth the beneficent.^ And
who, after they have committed a crime, or dealt unjustly with their own
souls, remember God, and ask pardon for their sins, (for who forgiveth
sins except God 1) and persevere not in what they have done knowingly ;
theii- reward shall be pardon from their Lord, and gardens wherein rivers
flow, they shall remain therein for ever : and how excellent is the reward
of those who labour ! There have ukeady been before you examples of
punishment of infidels* therefore go through the eai-th, and behold what
hath been the end of those who accuse God's apostles of imposture. This
hook is a declaration unto men, and a dii'ection and an admonition to the
pious. And be not dismayed, neither be ye gi-ieved ; for ye shall be supe-
rior to the unbelievers if ye believe. If a woimd hath happened unto you
in toar,^ a like wound hath already happened unto the unbelieving people :'
and we cause these days of different success intei-changeably to succeed eacli
other among men ; that God may know those who believe, and may have
martyrs from among you : (God loveth not the woi'kers of iniquity;) and
that God might prove those who believe, and destroy the infidels. Did
ye imagine that ye should enter paradise, when as yet God knew not those
among you who fought strenuously in his cause ; nor knew those who
persevered with patience % IMoreover ye did sometime wish for death
before that ye met it f but ye have now seen it, and ye looked on, but
retreated from it. Mohammed is no more than an apostle ; the other
apostles have already deceased before him ; if he die, therefore, or be slain,
will ye tm-n back on yom- heels ?*■ but he who turneth back on his heels
P It is related of Hasan the son of AH, that a slave having once thrown a dish
on him boiling hot, as he sat at table, and fearing his master's resentment, fell on
his knees, and repeated these words, Paradise is for those tvho bridle their anger:
Hasan answered, I am. not angry. The slave proceeded — and for those who forgiva
men. I forgive you, said Hasan. The slave, however, finished the verse, adding,
for God Inveth the beneficent. Since it is so, replied Hasan, / give you your liberty,
and four hundred pieces of silver.^ A noble instance of moderation and gene«
rosity.
* " God had given precepts before thy time. Go through the earth, and behold
what has been the end of those who accused us of falsehood." — Savary.
•1 That is, by your being worsted at Oliod.
' When they were defeated at Bedr. It is observable that the number of Moham-
medans slain at Ohod was equal to that of the idolaters slain at Bedr, which was
so ordered by God for a reason to be given elsewhere.*
' Several of Mohammed's followers who were not present at Bedr, wished for
an opportnnity of obtaining, in another action, the like honour as those had gained
who fell martyrs in that battle; yet were discouraged on seeing the superior num-
bers of the idolaters in the expedition of Ohod. On which occasion this passage
was revealed.5
• These words were revealed when it was reported in the battle of Ohod, that
» Vide D'Herbelot, Bibl. Orient. Art. Hassan. * In not. ad cap. 8.
* A) Beidihvi.