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

212 Ali KOEATt. CHAP. rv.
and security, and we will i-emove all grudges from their breasts ;*^ they shall
he as brethren, sitting over against one another*" on couches ; weariness shall
not affect theiu therein, neither shall they bo cast out thence for ever.
Declare unto my servants that I am the gi'acious, the merciful God; and
that my punishment is a grievous puni huient. And relate unto them the
history of Abraham's guests.' When tliey went in unto him, and said,
Peace be unto t/iee, he answered, Verily we are afraid of you :^ and they
replied. Fear not ; we bring thee the promise of a wise son. He said, Do
ye bring me the promise o/ a son now old age hath overtaken me 1 what is
it therefore that ye tell me 1 They said, We have told thee the truth ; be
not therefore one of those who despair. He answered, And who despaireth
of the mercy of God, except those who err ! And he said. What is your
errand, therefore, O messengers of God? They answered, Verily, we are
Bent to destroy a wicked people ; but as for the family of Lot, we ■will save
them all, excej)t his wife ; we have decreed that she shall be one of those
who remain behind to he destroyed with the infidels. And when the mest-
uengers came to the family of Lot, he said unto them, Verily, ye are a people
tvho are unknown to me. They answered, But we are come unto thee to
execute that sen/^wce, concerning which your fellow-citizens doubted : we tell
thee a certain truth; and we are 7?ieA.se/j<7er.y o/" veracity. Therefore lead
forth tliy family, in some time of the night ; and do thou follow behind
theui, and let none of you turn back ; but go whither ye are commanded.'
And we gave him this couiinand ; because the utmost remnant of those
ycople was to be cut off in the morning. And the inhabitants of the city
came unto Lot, rejoicing ;it the news of the arrival of some stranyers. And
he said unto them. Verily, these are my guests : wherefore do not disgrace
me by abusing them ; but fear God, and put me not to shame. Tliey
answered, Have we not foi-bidden thee from entertaining or protecting
any man 1 Lot replied, These are my daughters : therefore rather make
use of them, if ye he resolved to do what ye purpose. As thou livest they
wander in their folly."' Wherefore a terrible storm from heaven assailed
them at sunrise,* and we turned the city upside down : and we rained ou
K That is, all hatred and ill-will which they bore each other in their lifetime ; *
or, as some choose to expound it, all envy or heart-burning on account of the
different degrees of honour and happiness to which the blessed will be promoted,
aocording to their respective merits.
*■ Never turning their backs to one another;' which might be construed a sign
of contempt.
* See chap. 11, p. 182, &c.
■' What occasioned Abraham's apprehension was, either their sudden entering
without leave, or their coming at an unseasonable time, or else their not eating
with him.
' Which was into Syria; or into Egypt. ^
" Some will have these words spoken by the angels to Lot ; others, by God to
Mohammed.
* "At the rising of the sun, the cry of the angel precipitated upon them our
scourges. We buried Sodom under its ruins, and caused a shower of stones to
fall upon its inhabitants. These are signs to those who can discern. Sodom was
Situated on the high road. This example serves as a warning to the believers." —
iSavary.
' bee chan. 7. n. 119, note ». « Jallalo'ddin. • Al Beidawi, Jallalo'ddin.