XV. The Chapter of El ‘<I>H</I>agr

The Qur'ân, part I (Sacred Books of the East volume 6), Palmer edition [1880]; at sacred-texts.com

THE CHAPTER OF EL ‘HAGR ¹.

(XV. Mecca.)

IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God!

A. L. R. Those are the signs ² of the Book and of a perspicuous Qur’ân.

Many a time will those who disbelieve fain they had been resigned ³.

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Leave them to eat and enjoy themselves and let hope beguile them, but they at length shall know!

We never destroyed a city without it had its noted doom.

[5] No nation can hasten on its appointed time, nor put it off.

But they say, 'O thou to whom the Reminder has been sent down! verily, thou art possessed. Why dost thou not bring us the angels if thou dost tell the truth?'

We sent not down the angels save by right; nor even then would these be respited.

Verily, we have sent down the Reminder, and, verily, we will guard it.

[;o] And we sent before thee among the sects of those of yore. But there never came an apostle to them but they mocked at him. Such conduct also will we put into the hearts of the sinners. They will not believe therein, but the course of those of yore is run. But had we opened to them a door of the sky and they had mounted up into it all the while; [15] then also had they said, 'Our eyesight is only intoxicated; nay, we are an enchanted people!'

And we have placed in the sky the signs of the zodiac, and have made them seemly to the beholders; and we have guarded them from every pelted devil ¹; save from such as steal a hearing, and there follows him an obvious shooting-star.

And the earth we have stretched out and have thrown on it firm mountains, and have caused to

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grow upon it of everything a measured quantity. [20] And we have made for you means of livelihood therein, and for those for whom ye have not to provide.

Nor is there aught but the treasuries of it are with us, and we do not send it down save in a noted quantity.

And we send forth the impregnating winds ¹, and we send down water from the sky, and we give it to you to drink, nor is it ye who store it up.

And we, verily, we quicken and kill; and we are of (all things) heirs.

And we already know the foremost of you, and we know the laggards too!

[25] And, verily, it is your Lord who will gather you; verily, He is wise and knowing.

And we did create man from crackling clay of black mud wrought in form.

And the ginns had we created before of smokeless fire.

And when thy Lord said to the angels, Verily, I am creating a mortal from crackling clay of black mud wrought into shape;

[30] 'And when I have fashioned it, and breathed into it of my spirit, then fall ye down before it adoring.'

And the angels adored all of them together, save Iblîs, who refused to be among those who adored.

He said, 'O Iblîs! what ails thee that thou art not among those who adore?'

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Said he, 'I would not adore a mortal whom Thou hast created from crackling clay of black mud wrought into form.'

He said, 'Then get thee forth therefrom, and, verily, thou art to be pelted! [35] And, verily, the curse is upon thee until the day of judgment.'

Said he, 'O my Lord! respite me until the day when they shall be raised.' He said, 'Then, verily, thou art of the respited until the day of the noted time.'

He said, 'O my Lord! for that Thou hast seduced me I will surely make it seem seemly for them on earth, and I will surely seduce them all together; [40] save such of Thy servants amongst them as are sincere.' Said He, 'This is a right way against me. Verily, my servants thou hast no authority over, save over those who follow thee of such as are seduced: and, verily, hell is promised to them all together. It has seven doors; at every door is there a separate party of them.'

[45] Verily, those who fear God shall dwell amidst gardens and springs: 'Enter ye therein with peace in safety!' And we will strip off whatever ill-feeling is in their breasts; as brethren on couches face to face ¹.

No toil shall touch them therein, nor shall they be brought forth therefrom.

Inform my servants that I am the pardoning, the merciful; [50] and that my woe is the grievous woe.

And inform them concerning Abraham's guests

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when they entered in unto him and said, 'Peace!' he said, 'Verily, we are afraid of you.' They said, 'Be not afraid! verily, we give thee glad tidings of a knowing boy.' He said, 'Do ye give me this glad tidings although old age has touched me? give me the glad tidings then!' [55] They said, 'We give the glad tidings of the truth, then be not of those who despair!' He said, 'Who would despair of the mercy of his Lord save those who err?' He said, 'What is your business, O ye messengers?' They said, 'Verily, we are sent unto a sinful people; save only Lot's family, them will we save all together, [60] except his wife; we have decreed, verily, she shall be of those who linger.'

And when the messengers came unto Lot's family, he said, 'Verily, ye are a people whom I recognise not.' They said, 'Nay, but we have come to thee with that whereof they ¹ did doubt. And we have brought thee the truth, and, verily, we speak the truth! [65] Travel then with thy family in the deep darkness of the night, and follow thou their rear; and let not any one of you turn round to look; but go on to where ye are bidden.'

And we decided for him this affair because the uttermost one of these people should be cut off on the morrow.

Then the people of the city came, glad at the tidings. Said he, 'Verily, these are my guests, therefore disgrace me not; but fear God, and put me not to shame.'

[70] They said, 'Have we not forbidden thee ² everybody in the world?' He said, 'Here are

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my daughters, if do it ye must.'--By thy life ¹! verily, they were surely in their intoxication blindly wandering on!

And the noise caught them at the dawn. And we made the higher parts (of the cities) their lower parts, and rained down on them stones of baked clay. [75] Verily, in that is a sign to those who mark. And, verily, the (cities) are on a path that still remains ². Verily, in that is a sign to the believers.

And the fellows of the Grove ³ too were unjust; and we took vengeance on them, and, verily, they both ⁴ are for an obvious example.

[80] And the fellows of El ‘Hagr ⁵ called the messengers liars, and we brought them our signs, but they therefrom did turn away. And they did hew them in the mountain houses to dwell in in safety.

But the noise caught them in the morn; and that which they had earned availed them naught.

[85] We did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them both, save in truth. And, verily, the Hour is surely coming; then do thou pardon with a fair pardon.

Verily, thy Lord He is the creator, the knowing! We have already brought thee Seven of the Repetition ⁶, and the mighty Qur’ân.

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Let not thine eyes strain after what we have allowed a few pairs of them ¹ to enjoy, nor grieve for them; but lower thy wing ² to the believers, and say, 'Verily, I am an obvious warner.'

[90] As we sent down (punishment) on the separatists ³ who dismember the Qur’ân.

But, by thy Lord! we will question them, one and all, about what they have done.

Therefore, publish what thou art bidden, and turn aside from the idolaters.

[95] Verily, we are enough for thee against the scoffers.

Who place with God other gods; but they at length shall know! And we knew that thy breast was straitened at what they say.

Then celebrate the praises of thy Lord, and be thou of those who adore.

And serve thy Lord until the certainty shall come to thee.

Footnotes

244:1 El ‘Hagr, literally, 'the rock:' the Petra of Strabo, and the traditional habitation of 'the people of Thamûd.'

244:2 Verses.

244:3 See note 1, p. 15.

245:1 See note 2, pp. 50, 51.

246:1 I.e. the winds that bring the rain-clouds and fertilise the earth.

247:1 Because to turn their backs on each other would appear contemptuous.

248:1 I.e. thy people.

248:2 I.e. to protect.

249:1 Addressed to Mohammed.

249:2 On the road from the territory of the Qurâis to Syria.

249:3 The Midianites, who are spoken of as dwelling in a grove, and to whom Jethro, or, as he is called in the Qur’ân, Sho’hâib, was sent as an apostle; see p. 148.

249:4 I.e. both Sodom and Midian.

249:5 The tribe of Thamûd, see p. 146.

249:6 The Opening Chapter, which contains seven verses, and is p. 250 named the Seven of Repetition (sab‘h al Mathânî), from this passage, and because it is to be repeated on so many occasions.

250:1 The unbelievers.

250:2 Behave with humility and gentleness.

250:3 Probably referring to the Jews and Christians who are here and elsewhere accused of mutilating and altering the Scriptures.