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

CHAF. XV. AL KORAN. 213
them stones of baked clay. Verily herein are signs unto men of sagacity:
aud those cities loere punished, to point out a right way /or men to walk in.
Verily herein is a sign unto the true believers. The inhabitants of the
wood * near Midian^ were also ungodly. Wherefore we took vengeance
on them." And both of them were destroyed, to serve as a manifest nalo
^or men to direct their actions by. And the inhabitants of Al HejrP likewise
heretofore accused the messengers of God of imposture; and we produced
our signs unto them, but they retired afer off from the same. And they
hewed houses out of the mountains, to secure themselves. But a terrible
noise from heaven assailed them in the morning ;t neither was what they
had wrought of any advantage unto them. We have not created the
hea^•ens and the earth, and whatever is coriiot'/iec? between them, otherwise
than injustice: and ihehowc of judgment shall surely come. Wherefore,
O i[o]iammed, forgive thy people with a gracious forgiveness.'' :j: Verily thy
Lord is the creator of time and of them, and knoweth what is most expedient.
We have already brought unto thee seven verses which &x^ frequently to be
rejjeated, and the glorious Koran. Cast not thine eyes on the good things
which we have bestowed on several of tJie unbelievers, so as to covet the
same:* neither be thou grieved on their account. Behave tliyself with
meekness towards the true believers; and. say I am a public preacher.* If
they believe not, we will inflict a like jninishment on them, as we have
inflicted on the dividers,* who distinguished the Koran into different parts;
for by thy IjORD, we will demand an account from them all of that which
* "The inhabitants of Aleica* were corrupted. "We inflicted on them our chas-
tisements. These two cities were in the public road " — Savary.
" To whom Shoaib was also sent, as well as to the inhabitants of Midian. Abul-
feda says these people dwelt near Tabflc, and that they were not of the same tribe
with Shoaib. See also Geoj^r. Nub. 110.
" Destroying them, for their incredulity and disobedience, by a hot suffocating
wind. 8
P Who were the tribe of Thamud.»
t " The cry of the angel annihilated them at the dawn of day." — Savary.
"i This verse, it is said, was abrogated by that of the sword.
+ "Certainly the hour will come, O Mohammed, make a glorious retreat." —
Savary.
^ That is, the first chapter of the Koran, which consists of so many verses: though
some suppose the seven long chapters ^ are here intended.
" That is, Do not envy or covet their worldly prosperity, since thou hast received
in the Koran a blessing, in comparison whereof all that we have bestowed on them
ought to be contemned as of no value. Al Beidawi mentions a tradition, that Mo-
hammed meeting at Adhriat (a town of Syria) seven caravans, very richly laden,
belonging to some Jews of the tribes of Koreidlia and al Nadir, his men had a great
mind to plunder them, saying, That those riches would be of great service for the
propagation of God's true religion. But the prophet represented to them, by this
passage, that they had no reason to repine, God having given them the sevm verses,
which were infinitely more valuable than those seven caravans.-
* " Cast not thy looks on the good which we have bestowed upon the unbelievers.
Grieve not for their fate. .Spread thy Mings over the faithful. Say unto them,
I am truly your apostle." — Savary.
' Some interpret the original word, the obstructers, who hindered men from en-
tering into Mecca, to visit the temple, lest they should be persuaded to embrace
Islam ; and this, it is said, was done by ten men, who were all slain at Bedr. Others
* The city of Aleica was situated in the desert near Midian, on the border of the
Red Sea.
^ Al Beidawi, Jallalo'ddin. » See chap. 7, p. 124, &,c. and Prelim. Disc. p. 6.
^ See chap. 9, p. 148, note •. ' Al Beidawi.