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

1^2 AL KORAN cnAP. vin-
faith, against your own knowledge. And know that your wealth aud your
children are a temptation unto you ;^ and that with God is a great re-
ward. O true believers, if ye fear God, he will grant you a distinction,^
and will expiate your sins fi-om you, and will forgive you ; for God is
endued with great liberality. And call to mind when the unbelievers
plotted against thee, that they might either detain thee in bonds, or put
to death, or expel thee the citi/ ;^ and they plotted against thee : but GoD
laid a plot against them ;^ and GoD is the best layer of plots.* And
when our signs are repeated unto them, they say, We hare heard ; if we
pleased we could certainly pronounce a coviposition like unto this : this is
nothing but fables of the ancients."^ And when they said, O God, if this
be the truth from thee, rain down stones upon us from heaven, or inflict on
us some other gi-ievous punishment.' But God was not disposed to punish
them, while thou wast with them : nor was God disposed to punish them
when thej^ asked pardon.™ But they have nothing t<> offer in excuse why God
should not punish them, since they hindered tlte hdievers from visiting the
holy temple," although they are not the guardians thereof." The guardians
thereof are those only who fear God; but the greater part of them know it
not. And their pi'ayer at the house of God, is no other than whistling and
clapping of the hands.' Taste therefore the punishment, for that ye have
been unbelievers. They who believe not expend their wealth to obstruct
' As tliey were to Abu Lobaba.
e i. e. A direction that you may distinguish between truth and falsehood ; or success
in battle to distinguish the believer* from the infidels ; or the like.
'' When the Meccans heard of the league entered into by Mohammed with those
of Medina, being apprehensive of the consequence, they held a council, whereat
they say the devil assisted in the likeness of an old man of Najd. The point under
consideration being what they should do with Mohammed, Abu'lbakhtari was of
opinion that he should be imprisoned, and the room walled up, except a little hole,
through which he should have necessaries given him, till he died. This the devil
opposed, saying that he might probably be released by some of his own party.
Hesham Abn Amru was for banishing him: but his advice also the devil rejected,
insisting that Mohammed might engage some other tribes in his interest, and make
war on them. At length Abu Jahl gave his opinion for putting him to death, and
proposed the manner, which was unanimously approved.*
' Revealing their conspiracy to Mohammed, and miraculously assisting him to
deceive them, and make his escape ;^ and afterwards drawing them to the battle of
Bedr.
* " God, whose vigilance surpasses that of the wicked, will frustrate their plots. "•—•
Savary.
k See chap. 6, p. 100.
1 Tliis was the speech of Al Nodar Eba al Ilareth.*
°» Saying, God forgive us J Some of the commentators, however, suppose tte
persons who asked pardon were certain believers, who stayed among the infidels;
and others think the meaning to be, that God would not punish them, provided they
asked pardon.
" Obliging them to flee from Mecca, and not permitting them so much as to ap-
proach the temple, in the expedition of al Ilodeibiya.'
Because of their idolatry, and indecent deportment there. For otherwise the
Koreish had a right to the guardianship of the Caaba, and it was continued in their
tribe and in the same family even after the taking of Mecca.*
P It is said that they used to go round the Caaba naked,* both men and women
whistling at the same time through their fingers, and clapping their hands. Or,
as others say, they made this noise on purpose to disturb Mohammed when at his
prayers, pretending to be at prayers also themselves.*
* Al Beidawi. See the Prelim. Disc. p. 35. i See ibid. * Al Beidawi.
.See the Prelim. Disc. p. 37. * See chap. 4. p. 67, note ". * See cliap. 7
V na « Al BeidawL