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

CHAP. XXIV. Ali KORAN. 293
he findeth it to he nothing ; but he findeth God with him/ and he will
fully pay him his account ; and God is swift in taking an account : or, as
the darkness in a deep sea, covered by waves riding on waves, above which
are clouds, being additions o^ darkness one over the other ; when one
stretched forth his hand, he is far from seeing it. And unto whomsoever
God shall not grant his light, he shall enjoy no light at all. Dost thou not
perceive that all creatures both in heaven and earth praise God : and the
birds also, extending their wings ? Eveiy one knoweth his prayer, and his
praise : and God knoweth that which they do. Unto God hdongeth the
kingdom of heaven and earth; and unto God shall he the return at the last
day. Dost thou not see that God gently driveth forward the clouds, and
gatheretli them together, and then layeth them on heaps 1 Thou also seest
the rain, which falleth from the midst thereof; and God sendeth down
from heaven as it were mountains, wherein there is hail ; he striketh there-
with whom he pleaseth, and turneth the same away from whom he pleaseth :
the brightness of his lightning wanteth but little of taking away the sight.*
God shifteth the night, and the day : verily herein is an instruction unto
those who have sight. And God hath created every animal of water ;^ o<ae
of them goeth on his belly, and another of them walketh upon two feet, and
another of them walketh upon four feet : God createth that which he
pleaseth ; for God is almighty. Now have we sent down evident signs :
and God directeth whom he pleaseth into the right way. The hypocrites
say. We believe in GoD, and on his apostle ; and we obey tliem: yet a part
of them turneth back, after this ; but these are not really believers. And
when they are summoned before God and his apostle, that he may judge
between them ; behold, a part of them retire : but if the right had been on
their side, they would have come and submitted themselves unto him. la
there an infirmity in their hearts ? Do they doubt ? Or do they fear lest
God and his apostle act unjustly towards them 1 But themselves are the
uijjust doers." The saying of the true believers, when they are summoned
before God and his apostle, that he may judge between them, is no other
than that they say. We have heard and do obey : and these are they who
shall prosper. Whoever shall obey God and his apostle, and shall fear God,
and shall be devout towards him ; these shall enjoy great felicity. They
swear by God, with a most solemn oath, that if thou commandest them,
tempts thirsty trarellers out of their way, but deceives them when they come near,
either going forward, (for it .-xlwajs appears at the same distance,) or quite
vanishing.'-
y That is, he will not escape the notice or vengeance of God.
* " The refulgence of his lightning- dazzleth the feeble eves of mortals." — Savary.
• This assertion, which has already occurred in another place,^ being not true
in strictness, the commentators ^uppose that by water is meant seed ; or else that
water is mentioned only as the chief cause of the growth of animals, and a consider-
able and necessary constituent part of their bodies.
' This passage was occasioned by Bashir the hypocrite, who, naving a contro-
versy with a Jew, appealed to Caab Ebn al Ashraf, whereas the Jew appealed to
Mohammed ;' or, as others tell us, by Mogheira Ebn Wayel, who refused to sub-
mit a dispute he had with Ali to the prophet's decision.*
1 Vide Q. Curt, de rebus Alex. lib. vii. et Gol. in Alfrag. p. 111. I. et in Adag.
Arab, ad calcem Gram. Erp. p. 93. » Chap. 21, p. 266. ' See chap. 4, p. 8&
* Al Beidawu