The Koran
CHAPTER XXII.
ENTITLED, THE PILGRIMAGE; REVEALED AT MECCA.
IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.
O men of Mecca, fear your Lord. Verily the shock of the last hour will
be a terrible thing. On the day whereon ye shall see it, every woman who
giveth suck shall forget the infant which she suckleth, and every female
that is with young shall cast her burthen; and thou shalt see men seemingly
drunk, yet they shall not be really drunk: but the punishment of God will
be severe. There is a man who disputeth concerning God without knowledge,
and followeth every rebellious devil: against whom it is written, that
whoever shall take him for his patron, he shall surely seduce him, and
shall lead him into the torment of hell. O men, if ye be in doubt concerning
the resurrection, consider that we first created you of the dust of the
ground; afterwards, of seed; afterwards, of a little coagulated blood;
afterwards, of a piece of flesh, perfectly formed in part, and in part
imperfectly formed: that we might make our power manifest unto you: and
we cause that which we please to rest in the wombs, until the appointed
time of delivery. Then we bring you forth infants; and afterwards we permit
you to attain your age of full strength: and one of you dieth in his youth,
and another of you is postponed to a decrepit age, so that he forgetteth
whatever he knew. Thou seest the earth sometimes dried up and barren: but
when we send down rain thereon, it is put in motion, and swelleth, and
produceth every kind of luxuriant vegetables. This showeth that God is
the truth, and that he raiseth the dead to life, and that he is almighty;
and that the hour of judgment will surely come (there is no doubt thereof),
and that God will raise again those who are in the graves. There is a man
who disputeth concerning God without either knowledge, or a direction,
or an enlightening book; proudly turning his side, that he may seduce men
from the way of God. Ignominy shall attend him in this world; and on the
day of resurrection we will make him take the torment of burning, when
it shall be said unto him, This thou sufferest because of that which thy
hands have formerly committed; for God is not unjust towards mankind. There
are some men who serve God in a wavering manner, standing, as it were,
on the verge of the true religion. If good befall one of them, he resteth
satisfied therein; but if any tribulation befall him, he turneth himself
round with the loss both of this world, and of the life to come. This is
manifest perdition. He will call upon that besides God, which can neither
hurt him, or profit him. This is an error remote from truth. He will invoke
him who will sooner be of hurt to his worshipper than of advantage. Such
is surely a miserable patron, and a miserable companion. But God will introduce
those who shall believe, and do righteous work, into gardens through which
rivers flow; for God doth that which he pleaseth. Whoso thinketh that God
will not assist his apostle in this world, and in the world to come, let
him strain a rope towards heaven, then let him put an end to his life,
and see whether his devices can render that ineffectual, for which he was
angry. Thus do we send down the Koran, being evident signs; for God directeth
whom he pleaseth. As to the true believers, and those who Judaize, and
the Sabians, and the Christians, and the Magians, and the idolaters; verily
God shall judge between them on the day of resurrection; for God is witness
of all things. Dost thou not perceive that all creatures both in heaven
and on earth adore God; and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the
mountains, and the trees, and the beasts, and many men? But many are worthy
of chastisement: and whomsoever God shall render despicable, there shall
be none to honor; for God doth that which he pleaseth. These are two opposite
parties, who dispute concerning their Lord. And they who believe not, shall
have garments of fire fitted unto them: boiling water shall be poured on
their heads; their bowels shall be dissolved thereby, and also their skins;
and they shall be beaten with maces of iron. So often as they shall endeavor
to get out of hell, because of the anguish of their torments, they shall
be dragged back into the same; and their tormentors shall say unto them,
Taste ye the pain of burning. God will introduce those who shall believe,
and act righteously, into gardens through which rivers flow: they shall
be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and pearls; and their vestures
therein shall be silk. They are directed unto a good saying; and are directed
into the honorable way. But they who shall disbelieve, and obstruct the
way of God, and hinder men from visiting the holy temple of Mecca, which
we have appointed for a place of worship unto all men: the inhabitant thereof,
and the stranger have an equal right to visit it: and whosoever shall seek
impiously to profane it, we will cause him to taste a grievous torment.
Call to mind when we gave the site of the house of the Caaba for an abode
unto Abraham, saying, Do not associate anything with me; and cleanse my
house for those who compass it, and who stand up, and who bow down to worship.
And proclaim unto the people a solemn pilgrimage; let them come unto thee
on foot, and on every lean camel, arriving from every distant road; that
they may be witnesses of the advantages which accrue to them from the visiting
this holy place, and may commemorate the name of God on the appointed days,
in gratitude for the brute cattle which he hath bestowed on them. Wherefore
eat thereof, and feed the needy, and the poor. Afterwards let them put
an end to the neglect of their persons; and let them pay their vows, and
compass the ancient house. This let them do. And whoever shall regard the
sacred ordinances of God; this will be better for him in the sight of his
Lord. All sorts of cattle are allowed you to eat, except what hath been
read unto you, in former passages of the Koran, to be forbidden. But depart
from the abomination of idols, and avoid speaking that which is false:
being orthodox in respect to God, associating no other god with him; for
whoever associateth any other with God, is like that which falleth from
heaven, and which the birds snatch away, or the wind bloweth to a far distant
place. This is so. And whoso maketh valuable offerings unto God; verily
they proceed from the piety of men’s hearts. Ye receive various advantages
from the cattle designed for sacrifices, until a determined time for slaying
them: then the place of sacrificing them is at the ancient house. Unto
the possessors of every religion have we appointed certain rites, that
they may commemorate the name of God on slaying the brute cattle which
he hath provided for them. Your God is one God: wherefore resign yourselves
wholly unto him. And do thou bear good tidings unto those who humble themselves;
whose hearts, when mention is made of God, are struck with fear; and unto
those who patiently endure that which befalleth them; and who duly perform
their prayers, and give alms out of what we have bestowed on them. The
camels slain for sacrifice have we appointed for you as symbols of your
obedience unto God: ye also receive other advantages from them. Wherefore
commemorate the name of God over them, when ye slay them, standing on their
feet disposed in right order: and when they are fallen down dead, eat of
them; and give to eat thereof both unto him who is content with what is
given him, without asking, and unto him who asketh. Thus have we given
you dominion over them, that ye might return us thanks. Their flesh is
not accepted of God, neither their blood; but your piety is accepted of
him. Thus have we given you dominion over them, that ye might magnify God,
for the revelations whereby he hath directed you. And bear good tidings
unto the righteous, that God will repel the ill designs of the infidels
from the true believers; for God loveth not every perfidious unbeliever.
Permission is granted unto those who take arms against the unbelievers,
for that they have been unjustly persecuted by them; (and God is certainly
able to assist them:) who have been turned out of their habitations injuriously,
and for no other reason than because they say, Our Lord is God. And if
God did not repel the violence of some men by others, verily monasteries,
and churches, and synagogues, and the temples of the Moslems, wherein the
name of God is frequently commemorated, would be utterly demolished. And
God will certainly assist him who shall be on his side: for God is strong
and mighty. And he will assist those who, if we establish them in the earth,
will observe prayer, and give alms, and command that which is just, and
forbid that which is unjust. And unto God shall be the end of all things.
If they accuse thee, O Mohammed, of imposture; consider that, before them,
the people of Noah, and the tribes of Ad and Thamud, and the people of
Abraham, and the people of Lot, and the inhabitants of Madian, accused
their prophets of imposture: and Moses was also charged with falsehood.
And I granted a long respite unto the unbelievers: but afterwards I chastised
them; and how different was the change I made in their condition! How many
cities have we destroyed, which were ungodly, and which are now fallen
to ruin on their roofs? And how many wells have been abandoned, and lofty
castles? Do they not therefore journey through the land? And have they
not hearts to understand with, or ears to hear with? Surely as to these
things their eyes are not blind, but the hearts are blind which are in
their breasts. They will urge thee to hasten the threatened punishment;
but God will not fail to perform what he hath threatened: and verily one
day with thy Lord is as a thousand years, of those which ye compute. Unto
how many cities have I granted respite, through they were wicked? Yet afterwards
I chastised them: and unto me shall they come to be judged, at the last
day. Say, O men, verily I am only a public preacher unto you. And they
who believe, and do good works, shall obtain forgiveness and an honorable
provision. But those who endeavor to make our signs of none effect, shall
be the inhabitants of hell. We have sent no apostle, or prophet, before
thee, but, when he read, Satan suggested some error in his reading. But
God shall make void that which Satan hath suggested: then shall God confirm
his signs; for God is knowing and wise. But this he permitteth, that he
may make that which Satan hath suggested, a temptation unto those in whose
hearts there is an infirmity, and whose hearts are hardened: (for the ungodly
are certainly in a wide disagreement from the truth:) and that they on
whom knowledge hath been bestowed, may know that this book is the truth
from thy Lord, and may believe therein; and that their hearts may acquiesce
in the same: for God is surely the director of those who believe, into
the right way. But the infidels will not cease to doubt concerning it,
until the hour of judgment cometh suddenly upon them; or until the punishment
of a grievous day overtake them. On that day the kingdom shall be God’s:
he shall judge between them. And they who shall have believed, and shall
have wrought righteousness, shall be in gardens of pleasure: but they who
shall have disbelieved, and shall have charged our signs with falsehood,
those shall suffer a shameful punishment. And as to those who shall have
fled their country for the sake of God’s true religion, and afterwards
shall have been slain, or shall have died; on them will God bestow an excellent
provision; and God is the best provider. He will surely introduce them
with an introduction with which they shall be well-pleased; for God is
knowing and gracious. This is so. Whoever shall take a vengeance equal
to the injury which hath been done him, and shall afterwards be unjustly
treated; verily God will assist him: for God is merciful, and ready to
forgive. This shall be done, for that God causeth the night to succeed
the day, and he causeth the day to succeed the night; and for that God
both heareth and seeth. This, because God is truth, and because what they
invoke besides him is vanity; and for that God is the high, the mighty.
Dost thou not see that God sendeth down water from heaven, and the earth
becometh green? for God is gracious and wise. Unto him belongeth whatsoever
is in heaven and on earth: and God is self-sufficient, worthy to be praised.
Dost thou not see that God hath subjected whatever is in the earth to your
service, and also the ships which sail in the sea, by his command? And
he withholdeth the heaven that it fall not on the earth, unless by his
permission: for God is gracious unto mankind, and merciful. It is he who
hath given you life, and will hereafter cause you to die; afterwards he
will again raise you to life, at the resurrection: but man is surely ungrateful.
Unto the professors of every religion have we appointed certain rites,
which they observe. Let them not therefore dispute with thee concerning
this matter; but invite them unto thy Lord: for thou followest the right
direction. But if they enter into debate with thee, answer, God well knoweth
that which ye do: God will judge between you, on the day of resurrection,
concerning that wherein ye now disagree. Dost thou not know that God knoweth
whatever is in heaven and on earth? Verily this is written in the book
of his decrees: this is easy with God. They worship, besides God, that
concerning which he hath sent down no convincing proof, and concerning
which they have no knowledge: but the unjust doers shall have none to assist
them. And when our evident signs are rehearsed unto them, thou mayest perceive,
in the countenances of the unbelievers, a disdain thereof: it wanteth little
but that they rush with violence on those who rehearse our signs unto them.
Say, Shall I declare unto you a worse thing than this? The fire of hell,
which God hath threatened unto those who believe not, is worse; and an
unhappy journey shall it be thither. O men, a parable is propounded unto
you; wherefore hearken unto it. Verily the idols which ye invoke, besides
God, can never create a single fly, although they were all assembled for
that purpose: and if the fly snatch anything from them, they cannot recover
the same from it. Weak is the petitioner, and the petitioned. They judge
not of God according to his due estimation: for God is powerful and mighty.
God chooseth messengers from among the angels, and from among men: for
God is he who heareth and seeth. He knoweth that which is before them,
and that which is behind them: and unto God shall all things return. O
true believers, bow down, and prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord;
and work righteousness, that ye may be happy; and fight in defense of God’s
true religion, as it behoveth you to fight for the same. He hath chosen
you, and hath not imposed on you any difficulty in the religion which he
hath given you, the religion of your father Abraham: he hath named you
Moslems heretofore, and in this book; that our apostle may be a witness
against you at the day of judgment, and that ye may be witnesses against
the rest of mankind. Wherefore be ye constant at prayer; and give alms:
and adhere firmly unto God. He is your master; and he is the best master;
and the best protector.
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