The Koran
CHAPTER LXXIV.
ENTITLED, THE COVERED; REVEALED AT MECCA.
IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.
O THOU covered, arise and preach, and magnify thy Lord. And cleanse thy
garments: and fly every abomination: and be not liberal, in hopes to receive
more in return: and patiently wait for thy Lord. When the trumpet shall
sound, verily that day shall be a day of distress and uneasiness unto the
unbelievers. Let me alone with him whom I have created, on whom I have
bestowed abundant riches, and children dwelling in his presence, and for
whom I have disposed affairs in a smooth and easy manner, and who desireth
that I will yet add other blessings unto him. By no means: because he is
an adversary to our signs. I will afflict him with grievous calamities:
for he hath devised and prepared contumelious expressions to ridicule the
Koran. May he be cursed: how maliciously hath he prepared the same! And
again, may he be cursed: how maliciously hath he prepared the same! Then
he looked, and frowned, and put on an austere countenance: then he turned
back, and was elated with pride; and he said, This is no other than a piece
of magic, borrowed from others: these are only the words of a man. I will
cast him to be burned in hell. And what shall make thee to understand what
hell is? It leaveth not anything unconsumed, neither doth it suffer anything
to escape it: it scorcheth men’s flesh: over the same are nineteen angels
appointed. We have appointed none but angels to preside over hell fire:
and we have expressed the number of them only for an occasion of discord
to the unbelievers; that they to whom the scriptures have been given, may
be certain of the veracity of this book, and the true believers may increase
in faith; and that those to whom the scriptures have been given, and the
true believers, may not doubt hereafter; and that those in whose hearts
there is an infirmity, and the unbelievers, may say, What mystery doth
God intend by this number? Thus doth God cause to err whom he pleaseth;
and he directeth whom he pleaseth. None knoweth the armies of thy Lord,
besides him: and this is no other than a memento unto mankind. Assuredly.
By the moon, and the night when it retreateth, and the morning when it
reddeneth, I swear that this is one of the most terrible calamities, giving
warning unto men, as well as unto him among you who desireth to go forward,
as unto him who chooseth to remain behind. Every soul is given in pledge
for that which it shall have wrought: except the companions of the right
hand; who shall dwell in gardens, and shall ask one another questions concerning
the wicked, and shall also ask the wicked themselves, saying, What hath
brought you into hell? They shall answer, We were not of those who were
constant at prayer, neither did we feed the poor; and we waded in vain
disputes, with the fallacious reasoners; and we denied the day of judgment,
until death overtook us: and the intercession of the interceders shall
not avail them. What aileth them, therefore, that they turn aside from
the admonition of the Koran, as though they were timorous asses flying
from a lion? But every man among them desireth that he may have expanded
scrolls delivered to him from God. By no means. They fear not the life
to come. By no means: verily this is a sufficient warning. Whoso is willing
to be warned, him shall it warn: but they shall not be warned, unless God
shall please. He is worthy to be feared; and he is inclined to forgivenesss.
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