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

^22 AL KOKAN. CHAP, xxvxn.
Iruits of every sorb are brought, as a provision fcr our bounty? but
the greater part of them do not understand. How many cities have we
destroyed, ivhose inhabitants lived in ease and plenty ? and these their
dwellings are not inhabited after them, unless for a little while;" and wo
were the inheritors of their wealth.^* But thy Lord did not destroy </<o«e
cities, until he had sent unto their capital an apostle, to rehearse our signs
unto them : neither did we destroy those cities, unless their inhabitants
«'ere injurious to their apostle.'^ The things which are given you are the
provisions of this present life, and the pomp thereof; but that which is with
God is better and more durable : will ye not therefore understand? Shall
he then, unto whom we have promised an excellent promise of future
happiness, and who shall attain the same, be as he on whom we havo
bestowed the provision of this present life, and who, on the day of resur-
rection, shall be one of those who are delivered up to eternal punishment 1
On that day God shall call unto them, and shall say, Where are my
partners, which ye imagined to be so ? And they upon whom the sentence
of damnation shall be justly pronounced shall answer, These, O Lord, are
those whom we seduced ; we seduced them as we also had been seduced :
but now we clearly quit them, and turn unto thee. They did not worship
us, but their own lusts.'^ And it shall be said unto the idolaters, Call now
upon those whom ye associated with God: and they shall call upon them,
but they shall not answer them ; and they shall see the punishment pre-
pared for them, and shall wish that they had submitted to be directed.
On tliat day, God shall call unto them, and shall say, Wliat answer did yo
return to our messengers ] But they shall not be able to give an account
thereof on that day;"" neither shall they ask one another /or ififor7nalio7i.
Howbeit whoso shall repent and believe, and shall do that which is right,
may expect to be happy. Thy Lord createth what he pleaseth ; and
chooseth freely: but they have no free choice. Praise be unto God; and
far be he i-emoved from the idols which they associate with him 1 Thy
Lord knoweth both the secret malice which their breasts conceal, and the
open hatred which they discover. He is God; there is no God but he.
"^Juto him is the pi-aise due, both in this life and in that which is to come :
iinto him dJ-h judgment belong; and before liim shall ye be assembled at
the last day. Say, what think ye ? If God should cover you with per-
petual night, until the day of resurrection; what god, besides God, would.
bring you light? Will ye not therefore hearken? Say, What think ye?
• That is, for a day, or a few hours only, while travellers stay there to rest and
refresh themselves; or, as the original may also signify, unless by a few inhnhitants :
some of those ancient cities and dwellings being utterly desolate, and others thinly
inhabited.
P There being none left to enjoy it after them.
• " How many cities have we destroyed, which were devoted to lust and debauch-
ery ? The greatest number of these cities have not again been inhabited, and we
retain the inheritance of them."— 5arary.
t " God overthrew no empire before he sent unto the capital of it a prophet to
preach his commandments : and the cities of which the inhabitants were impious are
those alone which were destroyed." — Savary.
t See chap. 10, p. 169.
■■ Literally, The account thereof shall be dark unto them; for the consternation they
shall then be under will render them stupid, and unable to return an answer.