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

468 AL KORAI?. OHAi-. Lxxii.
seats thereof to hear the discourse of its inhabitants ; but wlioeyer listeneth
now, findeth a flame laid in ambush for him, to guard the celestial confines}
And we know not whether evil be hereby intended against those who are
in the earth, or whether their Lord intendetli to direct them aright. There
are some among us who are upright ; and tliere are some among us who are
otherwise : we are of different ways. And we verily tliought that we couW
by no means frustrate God in the earth, neither could" we escape liim by
flight : wherefore, when we had heard the direction contained in the Koran,
we believed therein. And whoever believeth in his Lord, need not fear any
diminutiou of his reward, nor any injustice. Tlcere are some Moslems
amoug us ; and there are others of us who swerve from righteousness.™
And whoso embraceth Islam, they earnestly seek true direction : but those
who swerve from righteousness shall be fuel for hell. If they tread in the
way of truth, we will surely water them with abundant rain ; " that we may
prove them thereby : but whoso turneth aside from the admonition of Lis
Lord, him will he send into a severe torment. Verily the places of wor-
ship are set apart unto God : wherefore invoke not any other therein
together with God. When the servant of God** stood up to invoke him, it
wanted little but that tlie genii had pressed on him in crowds, to hear him
rehearse the Koran. S;iy, Verily I call upon my Lord only, and I associate
no other god with him. Say, Verily I am not able, of myself to jn-ocure
you either hurt, or a right institution. Say, Verily none can protect me
against God ; neither shall I find any refuge besides him.* / can do no
more than publish what hath been revealed unto me from God, and his
messages. And whosoever shall be disobedient unto God and his apostle,
for him is the fire of hell prepared ; they shall remain therein for ever.
Until they see tlte vengeance with which they are threatened, they will not
cease their opposition : but then shall they know who were the weaker in a
protector, and the fewer in number, fcay, I know not whether the pun-
ishment with which ye are threatened be nigh, or whether my Lord will
appoint for it a distant term. He knoweth the secrets of futurity ; and he
doth not communicate his secrets unto any, except an apostle in whom he
is well pleased : and he causeth a guard of angels to march before him, and
behind him ; that he may know that they have executed the commissions
of their Lord ;P he comprehendeth whatever is with them ; and counteth
all things by number.
' See chap. 15, p. 210.
n> See the Prelim. Disc. sect. iv. p. 52, &c.
° i. e.. We will grant them plenty of all good things. Some think hy these words
rain is promised to the Meccans, after their seven years' drought, on their embracing
Islam.
» Viz., Mohammed.
* " I shall find no shelter from his wrath." — Savary.
P That is to say, Either that the prophet may know that Gabriel and the other
angels, who bring down the revelation, have ccmimunicated it to him pure and free
from any diabolical suggestions; or that God may know that the prophet h-s pub-
lished the same to mankind.*
*A1 Beidiwi.