"THE title of this chapter was occasioned by the story of the red heifer " (in vers. 66-73). - Sale.

"In this Sura are collected the passages composed in the first two or three years of Mahomet's stay at Medina. The greater part relates to the Jews, with biblical and rabbinical stories, notice of the change of the Kibla, &c. The disaffected citizens are also denounced in it. There is likewise much matter of a legislative character, produced during the first Medina stage, with additions and interpolations from the revelations of later stages." - Muir's Life of Mahomet, vol. iii., Appendix.

The following is a brief analysis of this chapter, based for the most part on Noeldeke's Origine et Compositione Surarum Qurarnicarum ipsiusque Qurani, showing Makkan and Madina revelations, probable date of composition, and principal topics treated.

These are found in verses 21-38, 164-172, and probably 254-257, 285, and 286. They belong to the period of Muhammad's mission previous to the Hijra.

These make up the bulk of the chapter, and are found in verses 1-20, 39-153, 173-253, and 258-284.

As to the date of composition, verses 1-20, 39-153, 173-185, 203-253, and 258-284, belong to the interval between the Hijra and the early part of A.H. 2. Verses 154-163 were revealed soon after the battle of Badr, A.H. 2. Verses 186, 187, belong to A.H. 3, and

verses 188-202 must be referred to a period shortly before the pilgrimage to Makkah in A.H. 7.

Unbelievers and hypocrites reproved ... verses 1-20
Exhortation to the worship of the true God .. 21-38
Jews and Christians urged to accept the claim of Muhammad to be a prophet of God ... 39-102
The opposition of Jews and Christians to Muhammad's prophetic pretensions combated ... 102-112
The doctrine of abrogation enunciated ... 113
A Qibla declared to be unnecessary ... 115
The Jews denounced and the religion of Abraham declared to be the true Islam ... 116-141
The Jews finally abandoned and the Arabs accepted by the adoption of Makkah as the Qibla of Islam ... 142-153
The bereaved friends of those slain at Badr comforted ... 154-163
Makkans exhorted to faith in God, and directed to observe the law respecting forbidden meats ... 164-172
Law concerning lawful and unlawful food (delivered at Madina) ... 173-176
The sum of Muslim duty ... 177
The law of retaliation ... 178,179
The law concerning bequests ... 180-182
The law concerning fasting ... 183-185
The fast of Ramadhan ... 186, 187
The pilgrimage to Makkah and war for the faith ... 188-202
Hypocrites and true believers contrasted ... 203-206
Exhortation to a hearty acceptance of Islam ... 207, 208
The doom of infidels pronounced ... 209
The Jews reproached ... 210-212
Suffering to be patiently endured ... 213
Sundry laws relating to almsgiving, war, wine, lots, orphans, marriage, women, oaths, and divorce ... 214-242
The duty of warring in defence of religion enjoined by precept, and illustrated by the history of former prophets ... 243-253
The Throne Verse ... 254-257
The doctrine of the resurrection illustrated ... 258-260
Exhortation and encouragement to almsgiving ... 261-274
Usury forbidden ... 275-277
The law concerning contracts and debts ... 278-284
The prophet's confession and prayer ... 285, 286

(l) A. L. M. (2) There is no doubt in this book; it is a direction to the pious, (3) who believe in the mysteries of faith who observe the appointed times of prayer, and distribute alms out of what we have bestowed on them, (4) and who believe in that revelation, which hath been sent down unto thee and that which hath been sent down

(1) A. L. M. There are twenty-nine chapters which begin with certain letters, and these the Muhammadans believe to conceal profound mysteries that have not been communicated to any but the prophet; notwithstanding which, various explanations of them have been proffered (see Prelim. Disc., sec. iii.) Sale says, "None of the numerous conjectures as to the meaning of these letters is more plausible than that of Golius, who suggests the idea that they were originally inserted by the amanuensis, and that they stood for the phrase Amar li Muhammad, i.e., by the command of Muhammad."

(2) There is no doubt in this book. The author of the notes in the Roman Urdu Quran well observes, that Muhammad has cast doubt upon his Quran by the constant effort to show that there is no room for doubt. For where there is no consciousness of guilt, there is no anticipation of a criminal charge. The contrast between the Quran and the Christian Scriptures in this respect is very striking.

The Tafsir-i-Raufi explains that when the infidels charged Muhammad with being a juggler, a poet, and a collector of stories, many were in doubt about the truth of the Quran. Accordingly some said one thing, some another; wherefore God settled the minds of the faithful by the declaration of this verse. The same writer regards these words as an answer to the prayer of the previous chapter.

(3) Mysteries of faith. "The Arabic word is Ghaib, which properly signifies a thing that is absent, at a great distance, or invisible, such as the resurrection, paradise, and hell. And this is agreeable to the language of Scripture, which defines faith to be the evidence of things not seen (Heb. xi. 1; 2 Cor. iv. 18, and v. 7)." - Sale. Rodwell translates it "unseen."

Are not Muslims chargeable with disobedience to this precept of the Quran when they refuse to believe the mysteries of the former Scriptures, the Trinity in unity, the Sonship of Christ, &c?

Appointed times of prayer. See Prelim. Discourse, sec. iv. p. 169.

(4) That which hath been sent down before thee. "The Muhammadans believe that God gave written revelations not only to Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, but to several prophets, though they acknowledge none of those which preceded the Quran to be now extant except the Pentateuch of Moses, the Psalms of David, and the Gospel of Jesus, which yet they say were, even before Muhammad's time,

unto the prophets before thee, and have firm assurance of the life to come: (5) these are directed by their LORD, and the shall prosper. (6) As for the unbelievers, it will be equal to them whether thou admonish them, or do not admonish them; they will not believe. (7) GOD hath sealed up their hearts and their hearing; a dimness covereth their sight, and they shall suffer a grievous punishment.

(8) There are some who say, We believe in GOD, and the last day; but are not really believers: (9) they seek

altered and corrupted by the Jews and Christians, and therefore will not allow our present copies to be genuine." - Sale.

Sent down. For the Muslim belief as to the manner in which God revealed the Scriptures, see Prelim. Discourse, sec. iii. p. 108.

Firm assurance of the life to come. "The original word, al akhirat, properly signifies the latter part of anything, and by way of excellence the next life, the latter or future state after death and is opposed to al dunya, this world, and al aula, the former or present life." - Sale. Rodwell translates "And full faith have they in the life to come."

The assurance predicated of the true believers is in regard to the fact of a judgment day and a future state, not of their certain participation in the joys of heaven. Muhammadans regard anything like assurance of faith, in a Christian sense, as gross presumption, and as tending to sin by breaking down the barriers against its commission. Nevertheless, the plain teaching of the Quran and of the traditions - see Mishqat-ul-Masabih, chap. i. - clearly assures final salvation to all Muslims. Why any Muslim should express a doubt, or rather hesitate to confess his assurance as to salvation, may be accounted for partly by his unwillingness to anticipate the divine decree, partly because of the teachings of the theologians respecting purgatory, and lastly, because of the protest of the conscience against a plan of salvation without atonement.

(6) They will not believe. The Tafsir-i-Raufi raises the inquiry why God sent prophets to infidels whom he knew would not believe, and in reply says they were sent (1) to pronounce condemnation against them, and (2) to deprive them of the possible excuse that no prophet had been sent to them.

(7) The doctrine of this verse is that infidels "who will not believe" have been condemned to judicial blindness, which portends the more awful punishment of hell. Sale says: "Muhammad here and elsewhere mutates the truly inspired writers in making God, by operation on the minds of reprobates, prevent their conversion."

(8-10) The persons referred to here were probably hypocritical disciples from among the Jews. Abdul Qadir says the reference is to Ibn Abi and his friends, who, when reproached by the prophet for his hypocrisy, declared themselves to be true followers of Islam. Muslim commentators, however, never want for historical characters wherewith to illustrate the Quran.

to deceive GOD, and those who do believe, but they deceive themselves only, and are not sensible thereof. (10) There is an infirmity in their hearts, and GOD hath increased that infirmity; and they shall suffer a most painful punishment, because they have disbelieved. (11) When one saith unto them, Act not corruptly in the earth; they reply, Verily we are men of integrity. (12) Are not they themselves corrupt doers? but they are not sensible thereof. (13) And when one saith unto them, Believe ye as others believe; they answer, Shall we believe as fools believe? Are not they themselves fools? but they know it not. (14) When they meet those who believe, they say, We do believe: but when they retire privately to their devils, they say, We really hold with you, and only mock at those people: (15) GOD shall mock at them, and continue them in their impiety; they shall wander in confusion. (16) These are the men who have purchased error at the price of true direction: but their traffic hath not been gainful, neither have they been rightly directed. (17) They are like unto one who kindleth a

(11) Act not corruptly. "Some expositors understand by this the sowing of false doctrine, and corrupting people's principles." - Sale.

(13) Believe ye as others believe i.e., as the first followers of Islam believe.

(14) Devils. Their leaders and friends, so Tafsir-i- Raufi.

(15) Shall wander in confusion. For the manner see next verse.

(16) Their traffic hath not been gainful &c. According to the Tafsir-i-Raufi the reward of their hypocrisy is that they are infidels, whilst regarding themselves as of the faithful; heretics, whilst thinking themselves sound in doctrine; ignorant, whilst thinking themselves learned; doomed to destruction; whilst fancying themselves in the way of salvation. Compare this with the teaching of Paul in 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. Was there ever a more striking example of this very kind of reprobation than the Arabian prophet himself? The earnest reformer of Makkah becomes the cruel and sensual deceiver, and yet the apparently self deceived politician of Madina.

(17) Like unto one who kindleth a fire, &c. The author of the notes in the Roman Urdu Quran, referring to the claim that the Quran is in every respect absolutely perfect, and therefore in itself a standing miracle, calls attention to the want of agreement in the number of the first and last parts of this verse. The first half of the sentence, and consequently the parable also, is incomplete. Sale

fire, and when it hath enlightened all round him, GOD taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, they shall not see; (18) they are deaf, dumb, and blind, therefore will they not repent. (19) Or like a stormy cloud from heaven, fraught with darkness, thunder, and lightning, they put their fingers in their ears because of the noise of the thunder, for fear of death; GOD encompasseth the infidels: (20) the lightning wanteth but little of taking away their sight; so often as it enlighteneth them, they walk therein,

suggests the number may have been thus changed in affectation of the prophetic style, and that the sense "may be completed by adding the words, he turns from it, shuts his eyes, or the like." "Muhammad compares those who believed not in him to a man who wants to kindle a fire but as soon as it burns up and the flames give a light, shuts his eyes, lest he should see. As if he had said, You, O Arabians, have long desired a prophet of your own nation, and now. I am sent unto you, and have plainly proved my mission by the excellence of my doctrine and revelation, you resist conviction, and refuse to believe in me; therefore shall God leave you in your ignorance. -Sale.

(19, 20) Or like a stormy cloud from heaven, &c. "Here Muhammad compares the unbelieving Arabs to people caught in a violent storm. To perceive the beauty of this comparison, it must be observed that the Muhammadan doctors say this tempest is a type or image of the Quran itself: the thunder signifying the threats therein contained; the lightning, the promises; and the darkness, the mysteries. The terror of the threats makes them stop their ears, unwilling to hear truths so disagreeable; when the promises are read to them they attend with pleasure; but when anything mysterious or difficult of belief occurs, they stand stock-still, and will not submit to be directed." - Sale, Jalauddin.

Abdul Qadir observes that up to this point three classes have been described - true believers, infidels, and hypocrites. This latter class is referred to in this parable. They fear the difficulties of their profession as a traveller fears the thunder in a dark night. As a traveller guided by the lightning moves on, but finding himself enveloped in darkness again stops stock-still, so the hypocrite some-times professes his faith, at other times denies it, according as his circumstances are those of peace or danger.

The Tafsir-i-Raufi explains the storm as symbolic of the dangers incurred in fighting against the infidels. The hypocrites through fear hid themselves, desiring to escape the danger; but as soon as they saw the glitter of the booty, they made great professions of loyalty to Islam. "In short, while they had the hope of securing a share in the booty, they professed themselves friendly and were fulsome in praises - but when they were confronted by the fear and toil (of the battle), they became inimical fault-finders."

but when darkness cometh on them, they stand still; and if GOD so pleased he would certainly deprive them of their hearing and their sight, for GOD is mighty.

(21) O men of Makkah, serve your LORD who hath created you, and those who have been before you: peradventure ye will fear him; (22) who hath spread the earth as a bed for you, and the heaven as a covering, and hath caused water to descend from heaven, and thereby produced fruits for your sustenance. Set not up therefore any equals unto GOD, against your own knowledge. (23) If ye be in doubt concerning that revelation which we have sent down unto our servant, pro

(21) O men of Makkah. The passage beginning with this verse and ending with verse 38 belongs to the Makkan period of Muhammad's mission.

(22) Set not up therefore any equivalant unto God, &c. This is the rational conclusion from the considerations before mentioned. It reveals to us the rand motive-power within the bosom of the Makkan reformer. He has listened to the testimony of conscience to a Supreme Being, the Creator. He here appeals to his countrymen to come to this same source of light, and to abandon idolatry, which contradicts their own reason. The passage has something of the sublimity of similar passages in the Old Testament.

(23) If ye be in doubt ... produce a chapter like unto it. In chap. xvii. ver. 90, this challenge is presented in the following boastful declaration: "Verily if men and genii were purposely assembled that they might produce a book like this Quran, they could not produce one like unto it, although the one of them assisted the other." Will those who would exonerate Muhammad from the charge of being an impostor explain how an honest man could put these words into the mouth of God? If Muhammad be the author of the Quran - -and all apologists regard him as such - he must have known that even the most excellent human composition had no claim to be called inspired; yes, further, it is inconceivable that he should have been so self-deceived as to fancy that when he put these words into the mouth of God, he was speaking the words of God, and not those of his own invention. Which is greater, the credulity which can believe an honest man, of high intelligence and poetic genius, capable of such self-deception as this, or that which believes a wicked man and a deliberate impostor capable of feigning sincerity and honest piety? Let it be observed this claim was ever set up at Makkah. It was there that the question of being an honest reformer or a prophet of Arabia was decided.

"If any one has a mind to test ,this boastful claim, let him read

duce a chapter like unto it, and call upon your witnesses besides GOD, if ye say truth. (24) But if ye do it not, nor shall ever be able to do it; justly fear the fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the unbelievers. (25) But bear good tidings unto those who believe, and do good works that they shall have gardens watered by rivers; so often as they eat of the fruit thereof for sustenance, they shall say, This is what we have formerly eaten of; and they shall be supplied with several sorts of fruit having a mutual resemblance to one another. There shall they enjoy wives subject to no impurity, and there shall they continue for

the 40th chapter of Isaiah, the 145th Psalm, the 38th of Job, and a hundred other passages in the Christian Scriptures, which are in style and diction superior to the Quran. It may be said that the beauty of the original cannot be rendered in a translation. Very well; this is equally true of the translations of the Christian Scriptures. Besides these there are hundreds of books which, in point of matter, arrangement, and instruction, are superior to the Quran." Thus writes the author of the notes on the Roman Urdu Quran. The same author gives the names and titles of a number of Arabic authors and books, which deny the claim of Muhammad and Muhammadans respecting the divine perfection of the Quran, among whom are the founder of the sect of the Muzdaryans, Isa-bin-Sabih, al Muzdar, and others. Gibbon describes the Quran as an "incoherent rhapsody of fable, and precept, and declamation which sometimes crawls in the dust, and sometimes is lost in the clouds." - Decline and Fall of Roman Empire, vol. i. p. 365, Milman's edition. See also Prelim. Discourse, sect. iii. p.103.

Your witnesses besides God. Your false gods and idols - said in ridicule.

(24) Whose fuel is men and stones. Men and idols. The Tafsir--Raufi gives the opinion of some commentators that clouds, apparently laden with refreshing showers, will pour down torrents of stones, which will greatly increase the heat and torments of hell!

(25) This is what we have formerly eaten of. "Some commentators (Jalalain) approve of this sense, supposing the fruits of paradise, though of various tastes, are alike in colour an outward appearance; but others (Zamakhshari) think the meaning to be, that the inhabitants of that place will find there fruits of the same or the like kinds as they used to eat while on earth." - Sale.

There they shall enjoy wives subject to no impurity. "It is very remarkable that the notices in the Coran of this voluptuous paradise are almost entirely confined to a time when, whatever the tendency of his desires, Mahomet was living chaste and temperate with a single wife of three score years of age. "It is noteworthy that in the Medina Sura, that is, in all the

ever. (26) Moreover, GOD will not be ashamed to propound in a parable a gnat, or even a more despicable thing: for they who believe will know it to be the truth from their LORD; but the unbelievers will say, What meaneth GOD by this parable? he will thereby mislead many, and will direct many thereby: but he will not mislead any thereby, except the transgressors, (27) who make void the covenant of GOD after the establishing thereof, and cut in sunder that which GOD hath commanded to be joined, and act corruptly in the earth: they shall perish. (28) How is it that ye believe not in GOD ? Since ye were dead, and be gave you life; he will hereafter cause you to die, and will again restore you to life; then shall ye return unto him. (29) It is he who hath created for you, whatsoever is on earth, and then set his mind to the creation of heaven,

voluminous revelations of the ten years following the Hegira, women are only twice referred to as constituting one of the delights of paradise, and on both occasions in these simple words: And to them (believers) there shall be therein pure wives. Was it that the soul of Mahomet had at that period no longings after that he had then to satiety the enjoyment of? Or that a closer contact with Jewish principles and morality repressed the budding pruriency of the revelation, and covered with merited confusion the picture of his sensual paradise which had been drawn at Mecca? "- Muir's Life of Mahomet, vol. ii. p.143.

The paradise of Islam is the garden of Eden inhabited by men and women with carnal appetites of infinite capacity, and with ability and opportunity to indulge them to the full. We strain our eyes in vain to catch a glimpse of a spiritual heaven anywhere in the Quran.

(26) God will not be ashamed to propound in a parable a gnat. "God is no more ashamed to propound a gnat as a parable than to use a more dignified illustration." - Savary. This was revealed to refute the objection of infidels, that the emloyment of such parables was beneath the dignity of God. - Abdul Qadir, Yahya, &c.

The transgressors. Infidels and hypocrites. The Tafsir-i-Raufi says the transgressors are distinguished by three characteristics: covenant-breaking, dissolving all connection with one's relatives, and quarrelsomeness. This is, of course, a mere paraphrase of the next verse.

(28) Ye were dead, &c. Sale, on the authority of Jalaluddin, paraphrases thus: "Ye were dead while in the loins of your fathers, and he gave you life in your mothers' wombs; and after death ye shall again be raised at the resurrection."

(29) Seven heavens. See the same expression in chapters xli. 11,

and formed it into seven heavens; he knoweth all things.

(30) When thy LORD said unto the angels; I am going to place a substitute on earth; they said, Wilt thou place there one who will do evil therein, and shed blood? but we celebrate thy praise, and sanctify thee. GOD answered, Verily I know that which ye know not (31) and he taught Adam the names of all things and then proposed them to the angels, and said, Declare unto me the names of these things if ye say truth. (32) They answered, Praise be unto thee; we have no knowledge but what thou teachest us for thou art knowing and wise. (33) GOD

lxv. 12, lxvii 3, and lxxi. 14. It is probably borrowed from the Jews.

(30) A substitute on earth. Literally, a khalifah, vicegerent.

"Concerning the creation of Adam, here intimated, the Muhammadans have several peculiar traditions. They say the angels Gabriel Michael, and Israfil were sent by God, one after another, to fetch for that purpose seven handfuls of earth from different depths and of different colours (whence some account for the various complexions of mankind); but the earth being apprehensive of the consequence, and desiring them to represent her fear to God that the creature he designed to form would rebel against him and draw down his curse upon her, they returned without performing God's command; whereupon he sent Azrail on the same errand, who executed his commission without remorse; for which reason God appointed that angel to separate the souls from the bodies, being therefore called the angel of death. The earth he had taken was carried into Arabia, to a place between Makkah and Tayif, where being first kneaded by the angels, it was afterwards fashioned by God himself into a human form, and left to dry (Quran, chap. lv. v.13) for the space of forty days, or, as others say, as many years, the angels in the meantime often visiting it, and Iblis (then one of the angels who are nearest to God's presence, afterwards the devil) among the rest; but be, not contented with looking on it, kicked it with his foot till it rung, and knowing God designed that creature to be his superior, took a secret resolution never to acknowledge him as such. After this God animated the figure of clay, and endued it with an intelligent soul, and when he had placed him in paradise formed Eve out of his left side (Jalaluddin, &c.)" - Sale.

They said, Wilt thou place there one, &c. This knowledge on the part of the angels, says the Tafsir-i-Raufi, was either derived from a divine revelation to that effect, or from a perusal of the writings on the preserved tables.

(32, 33) God said, O Adam, tell them their names. "This story Muhammad borrowed from the Jewish traditions, which say that the

said, O Adam, tell them their names. And when he had told them their names, GOD said, Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and know that which ye discover, and that which ye conceal? (34) And when we said unto the angels, Worship Adam; they all worshipped him, except Iblis, who refused, and was puffed up with pride, and became of the number of unbelievers.

angels having spoken of man with some contempt when God con suited them about his creation, God made answer, that the man was wiser than they; and to convince them of it he brought all kinds of animals to them, and asked them their names; which they not being able to tell, he put the same question to the man, who named them one after another; and being asked his own name and God's name, he answered very justly, and gave God the name of JEHOVAH" - Sale.

(34) When we said unto the angels, Worship Adam. Sale says the angels' adoring Adam is mentioned in the Talmud. "The original word signifies properly to prostrate oneself till the forehead touches the ground, which is the humblest posture of adoration, and strictly due to God only; but it is sometimes, as in this place, used to express the civil, worship or homage which may be paid to creatures. (Jalauddin.)"

Except Iblis. The story of Iblis and the angels probably owes its origin to Jewish tradition. The name Iblis, from balas, a wicked person, may have been derived by translation from the of the New Testament, Matt. xiii 19, 38; I John ii 13, 14. The Tafsir-i-Raufi says the name of Iblis before this disobedience was Azazil and that this name was given to indicate his now hopeless condition. Muhammad probably adopted the name most familiar to his countrymen whilst relating a story derived from Jewish sources. Muslim commentators, believing the angels to be impeccable, and denying that they propagate their species, argue that Iblis is of the genii, and the Quran, chap. xviii. 48, seems to prove that Muhammad regarded him as the father of the genii.

The whole doctrine of the Quran concerning Iblis and the genii, or Satans of the Quran, has been borrowed for the most part from the Magi of Persia, and the attempt to identify them in the Quran with the Satan and evil spirits of the Bible is so unsuccessful as to form a plain indication of the forger's hand. A comparison of the two books on this subject will reveal more than one instance when the Quran, not withatanding its boast that it preserves and confirms the teaching of the former Scriptures, fails to attest the teaching of the Bible.

Because of the number of unbelievers. Sale says, "The occasion of the devil's fall has some affinity with an opinion which has been pretty much entertained among Christians (Irenĉus, Lact., Greg. Nyssen, &c.), viz., that the angels being informed of God's intention to create man after his own image, and to dignify human nature by

(35) And we said, O Adam, dwell thou and thy wife in the garden, and eat of the fruit thereof plentifully wherever ye will; but approach not this tree, lest ye become of the number of the transgressors. But Satan caused them to forfeit paradise, and turned them out of the state of happiness wherein they had been; whereupon we said, Get ye

Christ's assuming it, some of them, thinking their glory to be eclipsed thereby, envied man's happiness, and so revolted."

(35) Dwell thou and thy wife in the garden. Muhammadans believe the residence of Adam and Eve before the Fall to have been paradise or heaven, the place to which all good Muslims go.

This tree. "Concerning this tree, or the forbidden fruit, the Muhammadans, as well as the Christians, have various opinions. Some say it was an ear of wheat; some will have it to have been a fig-tree, and others a vine. The story of the Fall is told, with some further circumstances, in the beginning of the seventh chapter." - Sale.

But Satan. Rodwell calls attention to the change from Iblis, the calumniator, to Satan, the hater. "They have a tradition that the devil, offering to get in to paradise to tempt Adam, was not admitted by the guard; whereupon he begged of the animals, one after another, to carry him in, that he might speak to Adam and his wife; but they all refused him, except the serpent, who took him between two of his teeth, and so introduced him. They add that the serpent was then of a beautiful form, and not in the shape he now bears." - Sale.

We said, Get ye down. "The Muhammadans say that when they were cast down from paradise, Adam fell on the isle of Ceylon or Sarandib, and Eve near Jiddah (the port of Makkah) in Arabia; and that after a separation of two hundred years Adam was, on his repentance, conducted by the Angel Gabriel to a mountain near Makkah, where he found and knew his wife, the mountain being thence named Arifat, and that he afterwards retired with her to Ceylon.

"It may not be improper here to mention another tradition concerning the gigantic stature of our first parents. Their prophet, they say, affirmed Adam to have been as tall as a high palm-tree; but this would be too much in proportion, if that were really the print of his foot, which is pretended to be such, on the top of a mountain in the isle of Ceylon, thence named Pico de Adam, and by the Arab writers Rahun, being somewhat above two spans long (though others say it is seventy cubits long, and that when Adam set one foot here he had the other in the sea), and too little, if Eve were of so enormous a size, as is said, when her head lay on one hill near Makkah, her knees rested on two others in the plain, about two musket-shots asunder." - Sale

The Tafsr-i-Raufi regards these words as being addressed to the serpent as well as to Adam and Eve.

The one of you an enemy unto the other, i.e., Satan an enemy of man, or the allusion may be to enmity between Adam and Eve, typifying the enmity between the faithful and the infidels. - Tafsir-i-Raufi.

down, the one of you an enemy unto the other; and there shall be a dwelling-place for you on earth, and a provision for a season. (36) And Adam learned words of prayer from his LORD, and GOD turned unto him, for he is easy to be reconciled and merciful. (37) We said, Get ye all down from hence; hereafter shall there come unto you a direction from me, and whoever shall follow my direction, on them shall no fear come, neither shall they be grieved; (38) but they who shall be unbelievers, and accuse our

(36) Adam learned words of prayer, &c. There is a difference of opinion among the commentators as to what these words were. The Tafsir-i-Raufi accepts the opinion that they were the words of the creed, "La-ilama-ileal-laho, Muhammad-ur-Rusul-ullah," God, he is God, and Muhammad is the apostle of God" But all such traditionary statements are the outgrowth of a desire to exalt Muhammad. One of the traditions makes Adam say that "As soon as the breath came into my body I opened my eyes, and saw the words, La-ilama-ileal-laho, Muhammad-ur-Rusul-ullah written on the heavens."

The purport of the verse seems to be that God taught Adam, in a general way, the words be then revealed for the benefit of himself and his children, Adam being regarded as the prophet of God to his generation.

God turned to him, for he is easy to be reconciled. Rodwell translates, "For he loveth to turn." All the Quran requires to secure the favour of God is to repent, i.e., to submit to the will of God and ask pardon for sin.

(37, 38) Hereafter shall cause ... a direction. "God here promises Adam that his will should be revealed to him and his posterity; which promise the Muhammadans believe was fulfilled at several times by the ministry of several prophets, from Adam himself who was the first, to Muhammad, who was the last. The number of books revealed unto Adam they saw was ten" (Jalaluddin). - Sale.

And whoever shall follow my direction, &c. The Tafsir-i-Raufi conceives the idea that the story of Adam was placed at the very beginning of the Quran as a warning to all his posterity. He says, "God has narrated the story of Adam before he tells of others, in order that by showing his people how they were adored by the angels, through Adam, in whose loins they were hidden, and yet, instead of being drawn to him by his goodness, they have turned from him, broken his commandments, and have not been ashamed. Then in the expulsion of Adam from paradise, as here related, he intimates that notwithstanding the nearness of Adam to himself, and the adoration of angels bestowed upon him, yet, for one act of disobedience, was expelled from paradise; Wherefore he says, Fear me, and dare not to disobey my commands, lest I refuse to receive you into paradise at the judgment-day."

And accuse our signs of falsehood. Concerning the word here trans-

signs of falsehood, they shall be the companions of hell-fire, therein shall they remain for ever.

(39) O children of Israel, remember my favour where-with I have favoured you; and perform your covenant with me, and I will perform my covenant with you; and revere me: (40) and believe in the revelation which I have sent down, confirming that which is with you, and be not the first who believe not therein, neither exchange my signs for a small price; and fear me. (41) Clothe not the truth with vanity, neither conceal the truth against your own know-

lated signs Sale says, "This word has various significations in the Quran; sometimes, as in this passage it signifies divine revelation or Scripture in general, sometimes the verses of the Quran in particular, and at other times visible miracles. But the sense is easily distinguished by the context."

They shall be the companions of hell-fire, therin shall they remain forever. The sufferings of the damned are described in chap. XIV. 19-21, xxv. 11-15, xxxvii. 61 71, and lvi. 40-56. This punishment is eternal, and varies in intensity according to the heinousness of sin.

Hell is divided into seven apartments. For description of each see Preliminary Discourse, sec. iv. p.148.

(39, 40) O children of Israel, ... believe in the revelation which I hove sent down confirming that which is with you. "The Jews are here called upon to receive the Quran, as verifying and confirming the Pentateuch, particularly with respect to the unity of God and the mission of Muhammad. And they are exhorted not to conceal the passages of their law which bear witness to those truths, nor to corrupt them by publishing false copies of the Pentateuch, for which the writers were but poorly paid." -Sale, on the authority of Yahya and Jalaluddin.

For passages of the Quran attesting the genuineness of the Christian and Jewish Scriptures, see Index under the word QURAN.

A careful consideration of the import of such passages as this ought to convince every honest Muslim of the fact that Muhammad certainly did regard the Scriptures then current among Jews and Christians as the pure Word of God. If he did not, then the Quran attests, verifies, and confirms a lie! See chap. iii. 93, v.70, vi. 90, 91, x.97, and xlvi. 11.

(41) Clothe not the truth with vanity, neither conceal the truth against your own knowledge. Rodwell translates the latter part of the verse thus: Hide not the truth when ye know it. On this he writes as follows: "Muhammad rarely accused the Jews and Christians of corrupting, but often of misrepresenting, their sacred books, in order to evade his claims. His charges, however, are always very vague1y worded, and his utterances upon this subject are tantamount to a strong testimony in favour of the unimpeachable integrity of the

ledge; (42) observe the stated times of prayer, and pay your legal alms, and bow down yourselves with those who bow down. (43) Will ye command men to do justice, and forget your own souls? yet ye read the book of the law: do ye not therefore understand? (44) Ask help with perse-

sacred book; both of the Jews and Christians, so far as he knew them." The Tafsir-i-Raufi confirms the position taken above. It paraphrases thus: "Do not mingle with the truth that the praise of Muhammad is recorded in the Pentateuch the lie of a denial, and do not hide the truth that he is the prophet of the last times, for you know that this prophet is a prophet indeed. Why then do ye deliberately hide his praise and title (of prophet), and make yourselves the prisoners of hell?"

The whole force of this exposition rests on the admission that the Jews were in possession of the uncorrupted Scriptures.

Again, it is noteworthy that the corruption charged is not directed against the Scriptures, but against their interpretation of those Scriptures. The author of the notes on the Roman Urdu Quran call attention to the fact, that while Muhammad would conciliate Jews and Christians by the pretence that his Quran confirms their Scriptures, he constantly misrepresents and falsifies them. This is true of both their doctrinal teaching and historical statement. It must, however, be observed that this inconsistency was not always due to the intention of the Arabian prophet, but generally to his ignorance.

(42) Stated times of prayer . . . legal alms. The prayer (sulat) of the Muslim differs from what the Christian calls prayer in that it consists invariably of the repetition of ascriptions of praise to God and of petitions for divine blessing uttered in the Arabic language, and is almost entirely mechanical. The mind and the heart of the worshippers are alike shut up to the words and forms of the stereo-typed prayer. The Arabic dua expresses more nearly the Christian idea of prayer. This, too, probably corresponded more nearly to Muhammad's own idea of sulat.

Legal alms (zikat) are levied on money, grain, fruit, cattle, and merchandise. The object for which it is levied is the support of the poor. It amounts to about two and a half or three per cent on annual profits. Although these words are addressed to Jews, the prayer and alms, concerning which exhortation is made, are Muslim, i.e., of the kind and form belonging to the last dispensation of the one true religion. For nearly all the rites and forms of religion, Islam finds sanction in the volume of traditions. This fact affords a strong argument against the Quran as the inspired Scripture of a new dispensation.

(43) Ye read the book of the law, i.e., the Pentateuch. This verse affords another proof that Muhammad believed the Jewish Scriptures then extant to be the genuine Word of God.

(44, 45) Ask help with perseverance and prayer, &c. Abdul Qadir translates, "Get strength by toil and prayer," &c., and paraphrases, " Make it (prayer) a habit, and the duties of religion will become easy."

verance and prayer; this indeed is grievous unless to the humble, (45) who seriously think they shall meet their LORD, and that to him they shall return.

(46) O children of Israel, remember my favour wherewith I have favoured you, and that I have preferred you above all nations; (47) dread the day wherein one soul shall not make satisfacation for another soul, neither shall any intercession be accepted from them, nor shall any compensation be received, neither shall they be helped. (48) Remember when we delivered you from the people of Pharaoh who grievously oppressed you, they slew your male children, and let your females

The humble, who seriously think they shall meet their Lord, and that to him they shall return. Sentiments like these exhibit the vast moral superiority of Muhammad's teaching with regard to God and man's relation to him over that of his idolatrous countrymen and of idolaters of any country. The influence of passages like this must be taken into account if we would understand the power which the Quran exerts over Muslims.

(46) O children of Israel, remember my favour, &c. The object of passages like this was to conciliate the Jews by appeals to their national pride, and by an attempt to imitate the style of their prophets in his exhortations to them. Passages of the Quran like this concerning the children of Israel evince considerable knowledge of the history of the chosen people. And yet the error which is here mixed up with the truth, without any apparent design, would seem to show that Muhammad had not access to the Jewish Scriptures directly. It is therefore most probable that he obtained his information from Jewish friends, who had themselves an imperfect knowledge of their own Scriptures. See on this subject Muir's Life of Mahomet, vol. ii., supplement to chap. V.

(47) Dread the day wherein one soul shall not make satisfaction for another soul. "This verse, often repeated, contradicts the notion of Muhammad as an intercessor, and, of course, contradicts Scripture also, unless understood thus : - 'The guilty shall not atone for the guilty.'" - Brinckman's Notes on Islam.

The author of the Tafsir-i-Raufi thinks this verse is addressed to unbelievers, and regards it as teaching the certain damnation of all who have not secured the intercession of Muhammad.

(48) They slew your male children. The Tafsir-i-Raufi gives a story which illustrates the habit of Muslim commentators of inventing history to expain the indefinite statements of the Quran. The story is that Pharaoh had a dream, in which he saw a fire issue forth from the Temple at Jerusalem. The fire consumed him and his people. Calling his wise men, he asked the meaning of his dream. They told him that a person would be born from among

live: therein was a great trial from your Lord. (49) And when we divided the sea for you and delivered you, and drowned Pharaoh's people while ye looked on. (50) And when we treated with Moses forty nights; then ye took the calf for your God, and did evil; (51) yet afterwards we forgave you, that peradventure ye might give thanks.(52) And when we gave Moses the book of the law, and

the children of Israel who would destroy both him and his nation. Accordingly he ordered all the male children of the Israelites to be destroyed. When some twelve thousand-according to others seventy thousand-infants had been destroyed, his subjects interfered, and so far modified Pharaoh's intention that he spared the children born every alternate year. During one of these years Aaron was born; but Moses, being born the following year, was placed in a basket und allowed to float down the Nile. On its reaching the palace, Pharaoh drew the basket to shore and found the infant Moses in it. His wife at once declared that the child did not belong to the Jews and proposed to adopt it as their own, inasmuch as they had no children. Thus Moses was preserved by his enemy. See also Quran, chaps. vii., xx., and xxvi., &c.

(50) Then took ye the calf for your God, and did evil. "The person who cast this calf, the Muhammadans say, was (not Aaron, but) al Samairi, one of the principal men among the children of Israel, some of whose descendants, it is pretended, still inhabit an island of that name in the Arabian Gulf. It was made of the rings and bracelets of gold, silver, and other materials which the Israelites had borrowed of the Egyptians; for Aaron, who commanded in his brother's absence having ordered Samairi to collect those ornaments from the people, who carried on a wicked commerce with them, and to keep them together till the return of Moses, al Samairi, understanding the founder's art, put them all together into a furnace to melt them down into one mass, which came out in the form of a calf. The Israelites, accustomed to the Egyptian idolatry, paying a religious worship to this image, al Samairi went further and took some dust from the footsteps of the horse of the Angel Gabriel, who marched at the head of the people, and threw it into the mouth of the calf, which immediately began to low, and became animated; for such was the virtue of that dust."- Sale, on authority of Jalaluddin.

Some writers explain that Samairi discovered the virtue of this dust of the footsteps of Gabriel's horse by observing that wherever such footsteps were there green grass immediately appeared. Others account for the voice in the golden calf by referring it to Satan, who, entering it, began to say to the people, "I am your preserver, wherefore worship me."

(51) Yet afterwards we forgave you, i.e., those who did not actually worship the golden calf. See ver. 53.

(52) When we gave Moses the book. We have here one instance,

the distinction between good and evil, that peradventure ye might be directed. (53) And when Moses said unto his people, O my people, verily ye have injured your own souls, by your taking the calf for your God; therefore be turned unto your Creator, and slay those among you who have been guilty of that crime; this will be better for you

which this chapter furnishes many, wherein the Quran shows the ignorance of Muhammad with respect to the history of the Jews as contained in the books of Moses. The "Book" of the law (the Torah or Pentateuch) is here represented as given to Moses in the Mount, whereas the story refers to the giving of the two tables (Arabic, Alwah, meaning tablets) containing the ten commandments only. See Exod. xxxiv. 28.

For further exposition of discrepancy between the Quran and the Pentateuch, see comments on chap. vii., vers. 104-163, where is recorded the most detailed account of the exodus of Israel from Egypt and God's dealings with them in the wilderness to be found in the Quran.

And the DISTINCTION between good and evil. Rodwell translates, "and the illumination," chap. xxi. 49.

The Arabic word here translated distinction is Furqan, a name which, among Muslims, is given solely to the Quran. The author of the notes on the Roman Urdu Quran argues from the use of this word, which is derived from the Syraic, that Muhammad must have had access to the writings of Syrian Christians, and especially to the commentary of the Old and New Testaments by Ephraim, a Syrian, in which a great many stories similar to those of the Quran are said to be recorded, and in which the Pentateuch is uniformly called the Furqan.

That this word may have been. introduced into Muhammad's vocabulary from Syrian sources is altogether probable, but the stories of the Quran bear no traces of having been copied from, or even learned from, any written record. On the contrary, they everywhere bear the marks of having been recorded in the Quran from hearsay sources. Any written record in the hands of Muhammad would have enabled him to give more accurate statements of fact, and thus would have better coufirmed his claim that the Quran attests the former Scriptures.

The meaning of the term Furqan, as applied to Scripture, is not "that which is divided into sections" (Hughes' Notes on Muhammadanism, p.1l), but that which divides betwenn good and evil, "that peradventure ye might be directed."

(53) Ye have injured your own souls. Rodwell has it, "Ye have sinned to your own hurt." The allusion is to the slaying of certain of their number for the sin of idolatry.

Slay those among you, &c. Lit. slay one another.

"In this particular the narration agrees with that of Moses, who ordered the Levites to slay every man his brother; but the Scripture

in the sight of your Creator: and thereupon he turned unto you, for he is easy to be reconciled, and merciful. (54) And when ye said, O Moses, we will not believe thee until we see GOD manifestly; therefore a punishment came upon you, while ye looked on; (55) then we raised you to life after ye had been dead, that peradventure ye might give thanks. (56) And we caused clouds to overshadow you, and manna and quails to descend* upon you, saying, Eat of the good things which we have given you for food: and they injured not us, but injured

says there fell of the people that day about three thousand (the Vulgate says 23,000) men; whereas the commentators of the Quran make the number of the slain to amount to 70,000; and add, that God sent a dark cloud which hindered them from seeing one another, lest the sight should move those who executed the sentence to compassion." - Sale and Jalaluddin.

(54) When ye said, O Moses, we will not believe thee, until we see God manifestly. "The persons here meant are said to have been seventy men, who were made choice of by Moses and heard the voice of God talking with him. But not being satistied with that, they demanded to see God; whereupon they were all struck dead by lightning."- Sale, Ismail ibn Ali, Tafsir-i-Raufi.

As this statement is nowhere corroborated in the Bible, it is probably derived from Jewish tradition.

(55) Then we raised you to life. The Tafsir-i-Raufi states that Moses, seeing his seventy companions stricken dead, immediately interceded for their restoration to life, on the ground that the people might suspect him of their murder. God then, on Moses' intercession, restored them to life. See also Rodwell's note on this passage.

(56) We caused clonds to overshadow you. The pillar of cloud, and may be the pillar of fire also (Exod. xiii. 21, 22). Some commentators say that the cloud was as a canopy over the Israelites to shield them from the heat of the sun (Tafsir-i-Raufi).

Manna and quails. "The Eastern writers say these quails were of a peculiar kind, to be found nowhere but in Yaman, from whence they were brought by a south wind in great numbers to the Israelites' camp in the desert. The Arabs call these birds Salwa, which is plainly the same with the Hebrew Salwim, and say they have no bones, but are eaten whole." - Sale.

A great variety of opinions have been entertained among Muslim commentators as to what manna represents, e.g., flour, honey, heavenly gifts bestowed secretly, &c. As to the quails, some have it that they were dressed in the air and baked by the heat of the sun before they fell on the ground.

As to the Salwa having no bones (see Sale's note above), the fact is, their bones are so tender that many eat them along with the flesh.

their own souls. (57) And when we said, Enter into this city, and eat of the provisions thereof plentifully as ye will and enter the gate worshipping, and say, Forgiveness! we will pardon you your sins, and give increase unto the well-doers. (58) But the ungodly changed the expression into another, different from what had been spoken unto them; and we sent down upon the ungodly indignation from heaven, because they had transgressed.

(59) And when Moses asked drink for his people, we said, Strike the rock with thy rod; and there gushed thereout twelve fountains according to the number of the tribes, and

And they injured not us, but injured their own souls. Savary translates this passage, "Your murmurs have been injurious only to yourselves."

The Tafsir-i-Raufi seems to refer the injury spoken of in this verse to the wandering in the wilderness.

(57) Enter this city. Some commentators suppose this city to be Jericho, others Jerusalem. - Sale.

The author of the notes on the Roman Urdu Quran takes the allusion to be to a "city of refuge." This mixing up of events, some of which happened in the wilderness, others in the Holy Land, and still others which happened nowhere, added to which is the narration of events as occurring successively, whose chronological order is widely different, shows the ignorance of the Arabian prophet.

Say forgiveness. "The Arabic word is Hittaton, which some take to signify that profession of the unity of God so frequently used by the Muhammadans, La ilaha illa 'llaho, There is no God but God." - Sale, Jalaluddin.

(58) But the ungodly changed the expression, &c. "According to Jalaluddin, instead of Hittaton, they cried Hubbat fi shairat, i.e., a grain in an ear of barley; and in ridicule of the divine command to enter the city in an humble posture, they indecently crept in upon their breech." - Sale, Yahya.

Indignation from heaven. "A pestilence which carried off near seventy thousand of them." - Sale.

(59) Strike the rock. "The commentators say this was a stone which Moses brought from Mount Sinai, and the same that fled away with his garments which he had laid upon it one day while he washed.

"They describe it to be a square piece of white marble, shaped like a man's head; wherein they differ not much from the accounts of European travellers, who say this rock stands among several lesser ones, about a hundred paces from Mount Horeb, and appears to have been loosened from the neighbouring mountains, having no coherence with the others; that it is a huge mass of red granite, almost

all men knew their respective drinking-place. Eat and drink of the bounty of GOD, and commit not evil on the earth, acting unjustly. (60) And when ye said, O Moses, we will by no means be satisfied with one kind of food;" pray unto thy LORD therefore for us, that he would produce for us of that which the earth bringeth forth, herbs and cucumbers, and garlic, and lentils, and onions; Moses answered, Will ye exchange that which is better, for that which is worse? Get ye down into Egypt, for there shall ye find what ye desire: and they were smitten with vileness and misery, and drew on themselves indignation from GOD. This they suffered, because they believed not in the signs of GOD, and killed the prophets unjustly; this, because they rebelled and transgressed.

(61) Surely those who believe, and those who Judaize,

round on one side, and flat on the other, twelve feet high, and as many thick, but broader than it is high, and about fifty feet in circumference."- Sale, Jalaluddin.

Twelve fountains. "Marracci thinks this circumstance looks like a Rabbinical fiction, or else that Muhammad confounds the water of the rock at Horeb with the twelve wells at Elim." - Sale.

All men knew their drinking-place. Rodwell translates, "all men," but understands" each tribe." He adds, "This incident is perhaps inadvertently borrowed from Exod. XV. 27."

(60) We will by no means be satisfied with one kind of food. This refers to the second murmuring of the Israelites. See Num. xi 5,&c.

Moses answered... Get ye down to Egypt. According to the Pentateuch, this is not only not what Moses said, but what he would not have said. Cf. Exod. xxxii. 9-14, with Num. xiv. 13, &c.

This they suffered, because they . . . killed the prophets. Muslim commentators, following the anachronism of this passage, instance John Baptist and Zachariah as being among the martyred prophets referred to here!

(61) Surely those who believe,&c. "From these words, which are repeated in the fifth chapter, several writers have wrongly concluded that the Muhammadans hold it to be the doctrine of their prophet that every man may be saved in his own religion, provided he be sincere and lead a good life. It is true some of their doctors do agree this to be the purport of the words; but then they say the latitude hereby granted was soon revoked, for that this passage is abrogated by several others in the Quran, which expressly declare that none can be saved who is not of the Muhammadan faith; and particularly by those words of the third chapter (ver. 84), Whoever

and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believeth in GOD, and the last day, and doth that which is right, they shall have their reward with their LORD; there shall come no fear on

followeth any other religion than Islam (i.e., the Muhammadan), it shall not be accepted of him, and at the last day he shall be of those who perish. However, others are of opinion that this passage is not abrogated, but interpret it differently, taking the meaning of it to be, that no man, whether he be a Jew, a Christian, or a Sabian, shall be excluded from salvation, provided he quit his erroneous religion and become a Muslim, which they say is intended by the following words, Whoever believeth in God and the last day, and doth that which is right. And this interpretation is approved by Mr. Reland, who thinks the words here import no more than those of the apostle, In every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him (Acts x. 35) ; from which it must not be inferred that the religion of nature, or any other, is sufficient to save, without faith in Christ (Relig. Moham., p. 128)." - Sale.

Rodwell identifies the Sabeites with the so-called Christians of St. John. See his note on this passage.

Brinckman thinks the fairest interpretation of this passage to be (as follows - "Jews, Christians, Sabians, whoever become Moslems, shall be saved if they become Moslems, and they shall be safe no matter what was their previous religion." - Notes on Islam, p.53

Abdul Qadir and the Tafsir-i-Raufi render the passage as making faith in God and the last day and the performance of required duty the condition of salvation, no matter whit a man's infidelity may have consisted in before he believed. They agree in regarding Jews and Christians as infidels.

The true explanation of this passage, so often quoted in controversy, will be made evident from the following considerations -

(1.) The passage is addressed to the People of the Book (Ahl-i-Kitab), as appears from the context. Rodwell describes the "Sabeans" correctly.

(2.) Muhammad did not regard all Jews and Christians as infidels (chap. iii. 113 and 199). He everywhere describes Islam as the one only true religion given by God to men through the medium of the prophets. It was the religion of Adam, of Noah, of Abraham, of Moses, and of Jesus. Jews and Christians, &c., therefore, who believed "in God and the last day," and did "that which was right," were true Muslims. Only those Jews and Christians who rejected Muhammad as the prophet of God are stigmatised as infidels. In this passage and passages of similar purport Muhammad assumes that be is the prophet of the true faith, and really strives to conciliate Jews and Christians by endorsing their religion as true. He would have them abjure the errors into which they had fallen, and return to the simple faith and practice of their, or rather God's religion, as now taught by the prophet of God.

It follows from this, that as a true Jew must receive Jesus Christ, and hence become a Christian, if he would be saved, so a true Chris-

them, neither shall they be grieved. (62) Call to mind also when we accepted your covenant, and lifted up the mountain of Sinai over you, saying, Receive the law which we have given you, with a resolution to keep it, and remember that which is contained therein, that ye may beware.(63) After this ye again turned back, so that if it had not been for GOD'S indulgence and mercy towards you, ye had certainly been destroyed. (64) Moreover ye know what befell those of your nation who transgressed on the Sabbath day; We said unto them, Be ye changed into apes driven away from the society of men. (65) And we

tian must receive Muhammad and hence become a Muhammadan, if he would be saved.

Granting, as Muslims do that Muhammad is the prophet be claimed to be, there is nothing in this passage inconsistent with his usual teaching as to the way of salvation.

(62) Lifted up the mountain of Sinai over you. The Muhammadan tradition is that the Israelites refusing to receive the law of Moses, God tore up the mountain by the roots, and shook it over their heads to terrify them into a compliance." -Sale and Abdul Qadir.

Rodwell has clearly demonstrated the Jewish origin of this statement.

(63) After this ye again turned back. Some commentators (Tafsir-i-Raufi) think these words refer to the rejection of Jesus, but more probably they refer to the rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea, or some similar event connected with the journey in the wilderness.

(64, 65). Be ye changed into apes, &c "The story to which this passage refers is as follows: - In the days old David some Israelites dwelt at Ailah or Elath, on the Red Sea, where on the light of the Sabbath the fish used to come in great numbers to the shore, and stay there all the Sabbath to tempt them; but the night following they returned into the sea again. At length some of the inhabitants, neglecting God's command, catched the fish on the Sabbath, and dressed and ate them; and afterwards cut canals from the sea for the fish to enter, with sluices, which they shut on the Sabbath, to prevent their return to the sea. The other part of the inhabitants, who strictly observed the Sabbath, used both persuasion and force to stop this impiety, but to no purpose, the offenders growing only more and more obstinate; whereupon David cursed the Sabbath-breakers, and God transformed them into apes. It is said that one going to see a friend of his that was among them, found him in the shape of an ape moving his eyes about wildly, and asking him whether he was not such a one, the ape made a sign with his head that it was he: whereupon the friend said to him, 'Did not I advise you to desist?' at which the ape wept. They add that these unhappy

made them an example unto those who were contemporary with them, and unto those who came after them, and a warning to the pious. (66) And when Moses said unto his people, Verily GOD commandeth you to sacrifice a cow; they answered Dost thou make a jest of us! Moses said, GOD forbid that I should be one of the foolish.

people remained three days in this condition, and were afterwards destroyed by a wind which swept them all into the sea."-Sale.

Rodwell says there is no trace of this legend in the Talmudists. Comp. chap. vii. 164.

The Tafsir-i-Raufi says the number thus changed into apes was seventy thousand a number very commonly assigned by Muslim writers to every display of divine judgment.

(66) Verily God commandeth you to sacrifice a cow. "The occasion of this sacrifice is thus related - A certain man at his death left his son, then a child, a cow-calf, which wandered in the desert till he came to age, at which time his mother told him the heifer was his, and bid him fetch her and sell her for three pieces of gold. When the young man came to the market with his heifer, an angel in the shape of a man accosted him, and bid him six pieces of gold for her; but he would not take the money till he had asked his mother's consent, which when he had obtained, he returned to the market-place, and met the angel, who now offered him twice as much for the heifer, provided he would say nothing of it to his mother; but the young man refusing, went and acquainted her with the additional offer. The woman perceiving it was an angel, bid her son go back and ask him what must be done with the heifer; whereupon the angel told the young man that in a little time the children of Israel would buy that heifer of him at any price. And soon after it happened that an Israelite, named Hammiel, was killed by a relation of his, who, to prevent discovery, conveyed the body to a place considerably distant from that where the fact was committed. The friends¹ of the slain man accused some other persons of the murder before Moses ; but they denying the fact, and there being no evidence to convict them, God commanded a cow, of such and such particular marks, to be killed; but there being no other which answered the description except the orphan's heifer, they were obliged to buy her for as much gold as her hide would hold; according to some, for her full weight in gold, and as others say, for ten times as much. This heifer they sacrificed, and the dead body being, by divine direction, struck with apart of it, revived, and standing up, named the person who had killed him, after which it immediately felt down dead again. The whole story seems to be

¹ The Tafsir-i-Raufi has it that the murderer himself became the accuser, and set up a claim for compensation against his neighbours.

(67) They said, Pray for us unto thy LORD, that he would show us what cow it is. Moses answered, He saith, She is neither an old cow, nor a young heifer, but of a middle age between both: do ye therefore that which ye are commanded. (68) They said, Pray for us unto thy LORD, that he would show us what colour she is of. Moses answered, He saith, She is a red cow, intensely red, her colour rejoiceth the beholders. (69) They said, Pray for us unto thy LORD, that he would further show us what cow it is, for several cows with us are like one another, and we, if GOD please, will be directed. (70) Moses answered, He saith She is a cow not broken to plough the earth, or water

borrowed from the red heifer, which was ordered by the Jewish law to be burnt, and the ashes kept for purifying those who happened to touch a dead corpse (Num. xix.), and from the heifer directed to be slain for the expiation of a certain murder. See Deut. xxi. 1-9."

-Sale, on authority of Abulfeda.

The Tafsir-i-Raufi, dilating on this story at great length, gives it with some variations from the version given above, yet substantially the same story.

This piece of history is manifestly manufactured by the commentators to explain a very obscure passage. The substance of the story is gathered from the Quran see succeeding verses). The passage is of an additional proof that Muhammad was not in possession of a copy of the Jewish Scriptures. His information must have been received from some one who was himself ignorant of the Scriptures. Certainly Muhammad could not have garbled the Mosaic account to make his Quran appear as a new revelation, as has been charged upon him (Notes on Roman Urdu Quran). A deliberate garbler, with the Pentateuch before him, would have done better work. The passage is perfectly incoherent, as the invented history of the Muslim commentators shows.

(68) She is a red cow, intensely red. "The original is yellow, but this word we do not use in speaking of the colour of cattle."- Sale

It seems to me the peculiar colour is here intended as a sign to indicate what cow. The succeeding question, as well as the preceding, desiring that Moses should pray for them, is presented to show the unbelief and hardness of heart on the part of the Jews. They doubt the inspiration of Moses, wherefore these numerous questions. See Tafsir-i-Raufi, in loco.

(70) Moses answered, He -saith, &c. Muhammad here presents Moses as a prophet of God like himself He, like Muhammad, the inspired prophet, delivers the precise message of God word for word. But the inspiration here and elsewhere attributed to the prophets in the Quran is a very different thing from that attributed to them

the field, a sound one, there is no blemish in her. They said, Now hast thou brought the truth. Then they sacrificed her; yet they wanted but little of leaving it undone.

(71) And when ye slew a man, and contended among yourselves concerning him, GOD brought forth to light that which ye concealed. (72) For we said, Strike the dead body with part of the sacred cow: so GOD raiseth the dead to life, and showeth you his signs that peradventure ye may understand. (73) Then were your hearts hardened after this, even as stones, and exceeding them in hardness: for from some stones have rivers bursted forth, others have been rent in sunder and water hath issued from them, and others have fallen down for fear of GOD. But GOD is not regardless of that which ye do. (74) Do

in the Bible. This fact affords another instance of the falsehood of the claim that the Quran attests the Christian Scriptures (cli. xii. 111).

They wanted but little of leaving it undone "Because of the exorbitant price which they were obliged to pay for the heifer."- Sale, and the Tafsir-i-Raufi.

(71) When ye slew a man, &c The commentators are troubled to reconcile this charge of murder against the whole nation, when, according to their history of the transaction, it was the act of only one man. The Tafsir-i-Raufi conceives the Jews generally as becoming partners in crime with the one guilty person by their unwillingness to use the divine instrumentality to discover the murderer, and their readiness to charge the crime upon one another.

(72) Strike the dead body with part of the sacrificed cow. There is considerable learning displayed in the discussion as to what part of the cow was used for this purpose. The weight of learning is pretty well divided between the tongue and the end of the tail!

(73) Hardened after this, i.e., after the sacrifice of the cow, the restoration to life of the murdered, and the conviction of the murderer. The events here alluded to are not, for a wonder, described by the commentators. From what follows, it appears to me the allusion is to their rejection of the prophets, and especially of Muhammad (ver. 74).

Others have fallen down for fear of God. Some think the allusion here to be to the tottering of the rocks from the mountain-side under an earthquake shock. Others have quoted much tradition to show the literal fulfilment of this in connection with the prophet, stones doing obeisance to him See Tafsir-i-Raufi.

(74) Do ye therefore desire the Jews should believe you? Rodwell translates, "Desire ye then that for your sakes (i.e., to please you, O Muslims) the Jews should believe?"

The negative here suggested as an answer to this question throws

ye therefore desire that the Jews should believe you? yet a part of them heard the word of GOD, and then perverted it, after they had understood it, against their own conscience. (75) And when they meet the true believers, they say, We believe: but when they are privately assembled together, they say, Will ye acquaint them with what God hath revealed unto you, that they may dispute with you concerning it in the presence of your LORD? Do ye not therefore understand? (76) Do not they know that GOD knoweth that which they conceal as well as that which they publish?

(77) But there are illiterate men

some light on the various examples of Jewish unbelief related in the preceding context, the narration of which closes with the preceding verse. The object of these statements is primarily to show the similarity of Arabia's prophet to Moses, and, secondarily, to arouse in Arab minds that fanatical hatred of the Jews which was soon to vent itself on the Bani Quraidha and other tribes. See Muir's Life of Mahomet, vol. iii. p p. 255-291.

Yet a part of them heard ... then perverted it. They listened with apparent interest to the words of the Quran, and gave Muhammad reason to believe they received it as the Word of God, but after wards were led to change their minds, probably through the influence of their more stable-minded brethren.

(75) And when they meet the true believers, they say, We believe. These are the hypocrites referred to in ver. 74. More likely they were ignorant Jews, who were really drawn toward Muhammad when in his presence and under his influence, but who were drawn away again by the influence of other Jews who were adverse to Muhammad. Failure to ally themselves to him was quite sufficient to put them under the ban of hypocrisy.

The Tafsir-i-Raufi instances Qab, who was assassinated about this time by the order or consent of Muhammad, on account of his opposition to Islam, as one of these hypocrites.

When they are privately assembled together, they say, &c. Abdul Qadir translates "one says to another," instead of "they say." He comments as follows : - "The hypocrites were in the habit of telling the Muslims, in order to win their favour, what was written in their books concerning Muhammad; but his enemies, finding fault with them, objected to their placing such proofs in their hands," i.e., of the Muslims. Does not this verse throw some light on the source from which Muhammad obtained the garbled accounts of the history and experience of the prophets found in his Quran? Ignorant Jews related the stories imperfectly to the followers of Muhammad, who repeated them still more imperfectly to their prophet, who embodied them in the Quran.

(77) Illiterate men . . . who know not the book." Among them the

among them, who know not the book of the law, but only lying stories, although they think otherwise. (78) And woe unto them, who transcribe corruptly the book of the Law with their hands, and then say, This is from GOD: that they may sell it for a small price. Therefore woe unto them because of that which their hands have written; and woe unto them for that which they have gained.(79) They say, The fire of hell shall not touch us but for a certain number of days. Answer, Have ye received any promise from GOD to that purpose? for GOD will not act contrary to his promise: or do ye speak concerning GOD that which ye know not? (80) Verily whoso doth evil, and

vulgar know the Pentateuch only by tradition. They have but a blind belief." - Savary.

The author of the notes to the Roman Urdu Quran well observes that this passage implies that, in Muhammad's estimate, the Jewish Scriptures were extant and entirely credible, and that they were read and understood by their doctors.

(78) Woe unto them, who transcribe corruptly the book of the Law with their hands, and then say, This is from God. "These are they who form sentences as they please for the people, and then ascribe to God or his the prophet." - Abdul Qadir.

The inference drawn by modern Muslims from passages like this, that, according to the Quran the Jewish and Christian Scriptures have been corrupted, and are therefore no longer credible, is entirely unjustifiable. Admitting the charge made here against certain Jews to be true (and the Christian need not deny it), it proves nothing concerning the text of present copies. On the contrary, the charge implies the existence, at that date, of genuine copies.

That they may sell it for a small price. This formula occurs repeatedly in the Quran. Its meaning is, that the gain arising from such a course would be small compared with the loss of the soul in hell.

The Tafsir-i-Raufi relates a story to the effect that certain Jews were bribed to pervert the Mosaic description of Antichrist or Dajjal, so as to make him correspond in size, complexion, and otherwise to Muhammad.

(79) A certain number of days. "That is, says Jalaluddin, forty, being the number of days that their forefathers worshipped the golden calf, after which they gave out that their punishment should cease. It is a received opinion among the Jews at present that no person, be he ever so wicked, or of whatever sect, shall remain in hell above eleven months, or at most a year, except Dathan and Abiram and atheists, who will be tormented there to all eternity." - Sale.

(80) Whoso doeth evil "By evil in this case the commentators generally understand polytheism or idolatry, which sin, the Mu-

is encompassed by his iniquity, they shall be the companions of hell-fire, they shall remain therein forever: (81) but they who believe and do good works, they shall be the companions of paradise, they shall continue therein forever.

(82) Remember also, when we accepted the covenant of the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall not worship any other except GOD, and ye shall show kindness to your parents and kindred, and to orphans, and to the poor, and speak that which is good unto men, and be constant at prayer, and give alms. Afterwards ye turned back,

hammadans believe, unless repented of in this life, is unpardonable, and will be punished by eternal damnation; but all other sins they hold will at length be forgiven." - Sale.

The final pardon of sin, however, is true only of Muslims. For the kafir or infidel i.e., any one who rejects Islam, there is eternal burning (chaps. xi. 53 and xli. 28).

Companions of fire. The Quran everywhere represents the pains of hell as being those produced by fire. Everywhere the prophet seems to gloat over the horror of the punishment meted out to the lost in perdition. See references in Index under the word HELL.

(81) But they who believe and do good works, i.e., Muslims performing the duties required by their profession.

The statement made in these verses would seem to contradict that of such passages as speak of salvation by the grace of God, e.g., chap. xxiv. 21. But there is not necessarily any more contradiction here than in similar passages of the Bible, where the doctrines of faith and works seem to be inconsistent with each other. The grace of God is bestowed upon the ground of faith, which is inseparable from good works.

(82) The covenant of the children of Israel, &c. It is noteworthy that the Quran nowhere makes allusion to the ceremonial rites of sacrifice as a sin-offering, when narrating the religious duties of the Jews. Even the famous passage in chap. xxii. 36-40, where sacrifice is recognised as a rite appointed by God unto every nation, and the story of the "Yellow Cow" (vers. 66-70), do not indicate a sacrifice in any Jewish sense as having atoning efficacy. Muhammad could hardly have known so much of Judaism as is manifest in the Quran - could not have met with so many Jews as he did in Madina, -without knowing something at least of their ideas of sacrifice. The conclusion would seem well founded that he deliberately eliminated the whole idea of atonement from what he declared to be the Word of God, and, therefore, never permitted the doctrine of salvation by atonement to appear as having divine sanction in any dispensation. With facts like this before us it is very difficult to exonerate the author of the Quran from the charge of deliberate forgery and conscious imposture.

except a few of you, and retired afar off. (83) And when we accepted your covenant, saying, Ye shall not shed your brother's blood, nor dispossess one another of your habitations; then ye confirmed it, and were witnesses thereto.(84) Afterwards ye were they who slew one another, and turned several of your brethren out of their houses, mutually assisting each other against them with injustice and enmity but if they come captives unto you, ye redeem them: yet it is equally unlawful for you to dispossess them. Do ye therefore believe in part of the book of the law, and reject other part thereof? But whoso among you doth this, shall have no other reward than shame in this life and on the day of resurrection they shall be sent to a most grievous punishment; for GOD is not regardless of that which ye do. (85) These are they who have purchased this present life, at the price of that which is to come; wherefore their punishment shall not be mitigated, neither shall they be helped.

(86) We formerly delivered the book of the law unto

(83) Shall not shed your brother's blood. Rodwell translates, "your own blood," and explains as follows: "The blood of those who are as your own flesh."

(84) Yet it is equally unlawful for you to dispossess them. "This passage was revealed on occasion of some quarrels which arose between the Jews of the tribes of Quraidha, and those of al Aws, al Nadhir, and al Khazraj, and came to that height that they took arms and destroyed one another's habitations, and turned one another out of their houses ; but when any were taken captive, they redeemed them. When they were asked the reason of their acting in this manner, they answered, that they were commanded by their law to redeem the captives, but that they fought out of shame, lest their chiefs should be despised." - Sale, on authority of Jalaluddin.

(85) Who have purchased this present life, &c. This clear recognition of the importance of seeking happiness in the life to come, together with the personal character given to the Judge of all men, have not been the least potent factors in gaining influence for Islam among its votaries.

Shall not be helped. By the intercession of prophets and angels to save them from wrath on the judgment-day.

(86) And caused apostles to succeed him. "It is recorded that there were four thousand prophets, more or less, between Moses and Jesus, all of whom obeyed the precepts of the Pentateuch, e.g., Joshua, Simeon, Job, David, Solomon, Elijah, Zacharaya, and John Baptist. They

Moses, and caused apostles to succeed him, and gave evident miracles to Jesus the son of Mary, and strengthened him with the holy spirit. Do ye therefore, whenever an apostle cometh unto you with that which your souls desire not, proudly reject him, and accuse

were sent in order to proclaim and enforce the law, for the corruptions (of the text of the Word of God) made by Jewish doctors had been spread abroad. Wherefore these apostles were, so to speak, divine teachers and renewers of the true religion. Such are referred to in this verse." - Tafsir-i-Raufi.

This authority states, in this same connection, that a prophet was sent at the beginning of every century, and that at the beginning of each millennium a great prophet (Nabi ul Azim) was sent. This state of things continued until the coming of Muhammad, who, being the last of the prophets, closed the book of inspiration and established the true faith in perfection. He does not, however, seem to see the inconsistency of this theory with the fact of the four thousand prophets belonging to the Mosaic dispensation before mentioned? nor does he show by what process the disposition of doctors of divinity to corrupt the text of Scripture has been changed in the last dispensation. If the former Scriptures were corrupted in spite of the four thousand prophets, how about the Quran in a dispensation devoid of prophets?

And gave evident miracles to Jesus the son of Mary. These were - (1) speaking when an infant in his mother's arms; (2) making birds of clay when a child, and causing them to fly away; (3) healing the blind-born; (4) cleansing lepers; and (5) raising the dead. See chaps. 5. iii. 48 and v.110.

These passages, while recognising Jesus as a worker of miracles, everywhere ascribe them to divine power external to him. He is only "the son of Mary."

And strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. "We must not imagine Muhammad here means the Holy Ghost in the Christian acceptation. The commentators say this spirit was the angel Gabriel, who sanctified Jesus and constantly attended on him." -Sale, Jalaluddin

In chap. iv. 169, Jesus is said to be "a spirit proceeding from God," so that he would appear, according to the Quran, to be the Holy Ghost. Muslims even accord to his followers the creed, "There is one God, and Jesus is the Spirit of God," as expressive of the truth. In chap. xxi. 91, Mary's conception is said to have been due to the breathing by God of his spirit into her. And in chap. iii. 45, Jesus is called the "Word proceeding from Himself," i.e., God. Now, while it is certain that these expressions, and many others of a similar import in the Quran, do express the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus, as well as of the Holy Ghost, it is perfectly clear that Muhammad never intended to express that idea. For instance, in chap. iii. 47, it is evident that Muhammad regarded Jesus as a creature. And in chap. iv. 169, 170, where Jesus is called the "word which he (God) conveyed into Mary, and a spirit proceeding from him," this very expression, which is one of the strongest in the

some of imposture., and slay others? (87) The Jews say, Our hearts are uncircumcised: but GOD hath cursed them with their infidelity; therefore few shall believe. (88) And when a book came unto them from GOD, confirming the scriptures which were with them, although they had before prayed for assistance against those who believed not, yet when that came unto them which they knew to be from God, they would not believe therein: therefore the curse of GOD shall be on the infidels. (89) For a vile price have they sold their souls, that they should not

Quran, is followed by the command, "Say not, there are three Gods," which is evidently intended to deny the idea of the divinity of Jesus as well as of Mary. Nevertheless, the fact of such expressions being used in the Quran can only be explained on the ground that they were in use among the Arabs in Muhammad's time in a Christian sense, and that Muhammad either used them, while explaining away their meaning, in order to commend his doctrine to Christians, or, as is more probable, be used them without understanding their Christian import himself. See Muir's Life of Mohamet, vol. ii. p.138.

The unintentional testimony of Muhammad to the character of Jesus is a subject worthy the study of the Christian controversialist.

The Tafsir-i-Husaini gives four opinions of Muslim commentators as to the import of the expression "holy spirit:" (1.) The holy soul of Jesus; (2.) the angel Gabriel; (3.) a potent name whereby he was able to raise the dead; and (4.) the Gospel.

And accuse some of imposture. The prophet of Arabia as is his wont, here likens the treatment he received at the hands of the Jews to that endured by Jesus, whom they rejected as an impostor. The passage shows that Muhammad was regarded as an impostor by the Jews of Madina at least.

(87) But God hath cursed them with their infidelity, therefore few shall believe. Rodwell renders it, "God hath cursed them in their infidelity: few are they who believe."

Savary has it: "God cursed them because of their perfidy. Oh, how small is the number of the true believers ."

(88) And when a book came unto them from God. The Quran, which Muhammad here distinctly claims to be the Word of God.

They had before prayed, &c.: "The Jews in expectation of the coming of Muhammad (according to the tradition of his followers), used this prayer: O God, help us against the unbelievers by the prophet who is to be sent in the last times." -Sale.

Which they knew to be from God. Another charge of deliberate rejection of his claims.

(89) Out of envy, because God sendeth down his favours to such of his servants as he pleaseth. Envious of "the gift of the prophetic office, &c., to a pagan Arab, and not to a Jew."-Rodwell.

believe in that which GOD hath sent down; out of envy, because GOD sendeth down his favours to such of his servants as he pleaseth: therefore they brought on themselves indignation on indignation; and the unbelievers shall suffer an ignominious punishment. (90) When one saith unto them, Believe in that which GOD hath sent down; they answer, We believe in that which

"It is remarkable that Muhammad accuses the Jews of rejecting him for the same reason their elders and priests had refused Christ, namely, for envy."- Brinckman, Notes on Islam.

This assumption of Muhammad, like that of deliberate rejection of him whom they knew to be the prophet of God, and of that which they knew to be the Word of God (i.e., the Quran, see ver. 88), is purely gratuitous. He had failed to give his Jewish hearers one single good reason for believing him to be sent of God as a prophet.

R. Bosworth Smith (Mohammed and Mohammedanism, p.14, second edition) is surprised "that the avowed relation of Christianity to Judaism has not protected Islam from the assaults of Christian apologists, grounded on its no less explicitly avowed relation to the two together." But surely "avowed" relationship can afford no protection to any religion against assault. The avowed relationship must be proven to be genuine. Mere assertions on the part of Jesus never could have established any relationship between Christianity and Judaism. This relationship is only established by showing Christianity to be a development of Judaism - a development demanded by Judaism itself. Until it can be shown that Islam is a further development of both Judaism and Christianity, all "avowed" relationship counts for nothing. The ground of assault on the part of Christian apologists is the manifest disagreement between Islam and its "avowed relation" to Christianity.

(90) That which God hath sent down. The Quran. The Tajsir-i-Raufi understands the allusion to be to the Gospel also, but this opinion is not well founded. The latter part of the verse undoubtedly refers to the Quran alone, and the allusion here must be to the same thing.

That which hath been sent down to us. The Pentateuch.

They reject . . . the truth, confirming that which is with them. See note on ver. 40. This statement, so frequently reiterated, is one of the chief of the points inviting attack upon the Quran. The question to be decided is one of fact. Does the Quran confirm the doctrine, the history, and the plan of salvation by atonement set forth in the writings of Moses? If not, then the Quran is a forgery, and Muhammad an impostor, the Quran being witness.

Muslims are so thoroughly convinced of the force of this argument against them that they see no way of evading it except in the claim that the Pentateuch now in use among Jews and Christians is in whole or in part a forgery.

Say, Why therefore have ye slain the prophets of God? See Matt. xxiii. 37. So Rodwell; but see also notes on ver. 60.

hath been sent down unto us; and they reject what hath been revealed since, although it be the truth, confirming that which is with them. Say, Why therefore have ye slain the prophets of GOD in times past, if ye be true believers? (91) Moses formerly came unto you with evident signs, but ye afterwards took the calf for your god and did wickedly. (92) And when we accepted your covenant, and lifted the mountain of Sinai over you, saying, Receive the law which we have given you, with a resolution to perform it, and hear they said, We have heard, and have rebelled: and they were made to drink down the calf into their hearts for their unbelief. Say, A grievous thing hath your faith commanded you, if ye be true believers? (93) Say, If the future mansion with GOD be prepared peculiarly for you, exclusive of the rest of mankind, wish for death, if ye say truth; (94) but they will never wish for it, because of that which their hands have sent before them; GOD knoweth the wicked-doers;

(91) The calf. See notes on ver. 50.

(92) Lifted the mountain of Sinai over you. See note on ver. 62.

We have heard and rebelled. Muslim commentators express a variety of opinions in regard to these words, e.g., they cried aloud "we have heard," but said softly "and rebelled," or "we have heard" with our ears "and rebelled" with our hearts, or that their fathers heard and they rebelled; or that some said "we have heard," and others "and rebelled ;" or, finally, that two different occasions are referred to, one of obedience and another of rebellion. See Tafsir-i-Raufi.

Say, A grievous thing, &c. "Muhammad here infers from their forefathers' disobedience in worshipping the calf, at the same time that they pretended to believe in the law of Moses, that the faith of the Jews in his time was as vain and hypocritical, since they rejected him, who was foretold therein, as an impostor." - Sale, Yahya, Baidhawi.

(93) If the future mansion ... wish for death, if ye say truth. This same claim can be set up with equal justice against Muslims, who hold out no hope of salvation to such as reject Islam. The Tafsir-i-Raufi regards the words as being addressed to believers as a test of their faith. Tried by such a test, there are indeed very few true Muslims.

(94) That which their hands have sent before them. "That is, by reason of the wicked forgeries which they have been guilty of in respect to the Scriptures. An expression much like that of St. Paul

(95) and thou shalt surely find them of all men the most covetous of life, even more than the idolaters: one of them would desire his life to be prolonged a thousand years, but none shall reprieve himself from punishment, that his life may be prolonged: GOD seeth that which they do.

(96) Say, Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel (for he hath caused the Quran to descend on thy heart, by the permission of GOD, confirming that which was before revealed, a direction, and good tidings to the faithful); (97) whosoever is an enemy to GOD, or his angels, or his apostles, or to Gabriel, or Michael, verily GOD is an enemy to the unbelievers.

(98) And now we have sent down unto thee evident

where he says, that some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment." - Sale.

God knoweth the wicked-doers. This, with a multitude of similar passages in the Quran, clearly emphasises the truth of God's omniscience. it is one of those truths which has given Islam so much moral power, and which asserts its superiority over the various forms of heathenism with which it comes in contact. Such truths regarding God account in great measure for its influence as a "missionary religion."

(96) Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel. "The commentators say that the Jews asked what angel it was that brought the divine revelations to Muhammad; and being told that it was Gabriel, they replied that he was their enemy and the messenger of wrath and punishment; but if it had been Michael, they would have believed on him, because that angel was their friend, and the messenger of peace and plenty. And on this occasion, they say, this passage was revealed.

That Michael was really the protector or guardian angel of the Jews we know from Scripture (Dan. xii. I); and it seems that Gabriel was, as the Persians call him, the angel of revelations, being frequently sent on messages of that kind (Dan. viii. 16; ix 21; Luke i. 19, 26); for which reason it is probable Muhammad pretended he was the angel from whom he received the Quran." - Sale, Jalaluddin, Yahya.

(98) Evident signs, "i.e. the revelations of this book."-Sale. "The Quran and miracles" -Tafsir-i-Raufi. The word Ayat, here translated sign, is that which is used to denote the various sections or verses of the Quran. As these verses were claimed to be a standing miracle, and were for this reason called signs the allusion of the passage is to the revelations of the Qunan, as Sale has it.

As to the claim of Muslim tradition and of modern Muhammadans that Muhammad wrought miracles, it is sufficient to say that such a claim is made directly in opposition to the repeated declaration of the Quran to the contrary. See vers. I 18, I 19; chap. iii. 184, 185; chap. vii. 34-36, 109, 111; chap. X. 21, &c.

signs, and none will disbelieve them but the evil-doers. (99) Whenever they make a covenant, will some of them reject it? yea, the greater part of them do not believe (100) And when there came unto them an apostle from GOD, confirming that scripture which was with them, some of those to whom the scriptures were given cast the book of GOD behind their backs, as if they knew it not: (101) and they followed the device which the devils devised against the kingdom of Solomon, and Solomon was not an unbeliever; but the devils believed not; they taught men sorcery, and that which was sent down to the two angels at Babel, Harut and Marut: yet those two taught no men until they had said, Verily we are a temptation, therefore be not an

(100) An apostle from God, confirming that scripture which was with them. Muhammad here reiterates his claim to be an apostle confirming the Jewish Scriptures. He would also be recognised as an apostle of God because he confirms the Jewish Scriptures. He therefore attests the divine character of the Scriptures extant in his time. See also note on ver. 90.

(101) The device which the devils devised. "The devils having, by God's permission, tempted Solomon without success, they made use of a trick to blast his character. For they wrote several books of magic, and hid them under that prince's throne, and after his death told the chief men that if they wanted to know by what means Solomon had obtained his absolute power over men, genii, and the winds, they should dig under his throne ; which having done, they found the aforesaid books, which contained impious superstitions. The better sort refused to learn the evil arts therein delivered, but the common people did; and the priests published this scandalous story of Solomon, which obtained credit among the Jews, till God, say the Muhammadans, cleared that king by the mouth of their prophet, declaring that Solomon was no idolater." - Sale, Yahya, Jalaluddin.

"Babel is regarded by the Muslims as the fountain-head of the science of magic. They suppose Harut and Marut to be two angels who, in consequence of their want of compassion for the frailties of mankind, were sent down to earth to be tempted. They both sinned; and being permitted to choose whether they would be punished now or hereafter, chose the former, and are still suspended by the feet at Babel in a rocky pit, and are the great teachers of magic." - Lane on ch. iii., note 14, of the Thousand and One Nights See also Rodwell's note.

Harut and Marut. "Some say only that these were two magicians or angels sent by God to teach men magic and to tempt them; but others tell a longer fable, that the angels expressing their surprise at the wickedness of the sons of Adam, after prophets had been sent

unbeliever. So men learned from those two a charm by which they might cause division between a man and his wife; but they hurt none thereby, unless by GOD'S permission, and they learned that which would hurt them, and not profit them; and yet they knew that he who bought that art should have no part in the life to come, and woful is the price for which they have sold their souls, if they knew it. (102) But if they had believed, and feared GOD, verily the reward they would have had from GOD would have been better, if they had known it.

(103)O true believers, say not to our apostle, "Raina;" but say "Undhurna;" and hearken: the infidels shall suffer a grievous punishment. (104) It is not the desire of the un

to them with divine commissions, God bid them choose two out of their own number to be sent down to be judges on earth. Where-upon they pitched upon Harut and Marut, who executed their office with integrity for some time, till Zuharah, or the planet Venus, descended and appeared before them in the shape of a beautiful woman, bringing a complaint against her husband (though others say she was a real woman). As soon as they saw her they fell in love with her, and endeavoured to prevail on her to satisfy their desires; but she flew up again to heaven, whither the two angels also returned, but were not admitted. However, on the intercession of a certain pious man, they were allowed to choose whether they would be punished in this life or in the other; whereupon they chose the former, and now suffer punishment accordingly in Babel where they are to remain till the day of judgment. They add that if a man has a fancy to learn magic, he may go to them, and hear their voice, but cannot see them.

"The Jews have something like this of the angel Shamhozai, who having debauched himself with women, repented, and by way of penance hung himself up between heaven and earth. (See Bereshit Rabbah in Gen. vi. 2)." - Sale, Yahya, Jalaluddin, &c.

(103) Say no to our Apostle, "Raina;" but say "Undhurna." "Those two Arabic words have both the same signification, viz., Lock on us." and are a kind of salutation. Muhammad had a great aversion to the first, because the Jews frequently used it in derision, it being a word of reproach in their tongue. They alluded, it seems, to the Hebrew verb rua, which signifies to be bad or mischievous." - Sale, Jalaluddun.

"Raina," as pronounced, means in Hebrew, "our bad one;" but in Arabic, "look on us." - Rodwell, Abdul Qadir.

(105) Whatever verse we shall abrogate, or cause thee to forget, we will bring a better than it, or one like unto it. "Imam Baghawi says, - that the number of abrogated verses has been variously estimated

believers, either among those unto whom the scriptures have been given, or among the idolaters, that any good should be sent down unto you from your LORD: but GOD will appropriate his mercy unto whom he pleaseth; for GOD is exceeding beneficent. (105) Whatever verse we shall abrogate, or cause thee to forget, we will bring a better than

from five to five hundred." - Hughes' Introduction to the Roman Urdu Quran 1876, p. xix.

The Tafsir Fatah-ul-Aziz describes three classes of abrogated passages: (1.) one verse or passage is substituted for another; (2.) where the meaning and force of a passage is abrogated by the addition of another passage, both passages being retained in the book; and (3.) where the passage is removed entirely from both the book and the memory of those who may have heard it. See on this subject Introduction to Muir's Life of Mahomet, pp. xxii. and xxvi., also Preliminary Discourse, p. 110.

Brinckman, in his Notes on Islam, draws from this passage the following conclusion: - "If God gave verses to Muhammad and then cancelled them, it utterly destroys the notion that the original of the present Quran, as we now have it, was written on the preserved table from all eternity by God. If it be said that God thought it better to withdraw some verses after declaring them it looks as if God, like man, did not know the future; and as we do not know for a certainty what words were cancelled, we cannot tell which verse it is best for us to attend to."

The doctrine of abrogation, as taught in this passage and others (xiii. 39 and xvi. 103), sprang up during Muhammad's prophetic career as a matter of necessity. The prophetic passages being delivered piecemeal, and generally as the religious or political circumstances of the prophet demanded, it came to pass that some of the later deliverances were contradictory to former ones. The Jews, ever alert in their opposition to the pretensions of the new religion, pointed out the discrepancies already manifest in the so-called revelations. Objections of this order could not but seriously influence the popularity of the prophet among his countrymen, and even jeopardise his credit in the eyes of his own followers. Under circumstances like these Muhammad promulgated the doctrine of abrogation, a doctrine which not only secured the allegiance of those whose faith had been shaken by Jewish objections, but which has served to strengthen his followers in all ages in their controversy with Jews and Christians.

The claim of the commentators is: (1.) That God is a sovereign, and is therefore at liberty to change or abolish his laws at his own discretion; (2.) that abrogation on his part does not imply any imperfection in the laws changed or abo1ished, as Jews and Christians had declared, but that circumstances of time, place, &c., called forth new laws, rites, and ceremonies. All God's laws, rites, and ceremonies, ordained for the guidance of his creatures, are good and

it, or one like unto it. Dost thou not know that GOD is almighty? (106) Dost thou not know that unto GOD belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth? neither have ye any protector or helper except GOD. (107) Will ye require of your apostle according to that which was formerly required of Moses? but he that hath exchanged faith

true for the time and under the circumstances in which they were given and for which they were intended.

Now, while it may be admitted that the abrogated passages of the Quran may thus be upheld against the objection that they militate against the perfection of the divine character, assuming, as Muslims do, the inspiration of the Quran, yet this doctrine will not serve their purpose when applied to the alleged abrogation of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

On this point it becomes us to admit freely that God has abrogated in one age rites ceremonies, and laws which were commanded in another. We claim this much in our controversy with Jews concerning the rites and ordinances of the Mosaic dispensation relating to clean and unclean meats, sacrifices and offerings, the observance of certain feasts, holy days, pilgrimmages, &c. This doctrine is clearly maintained by the Apostle Paul in is Epistle to the Galatians and by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews.

But when the Muslim principle of abrogation to the great cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith, as taught consistently throughout the whole Bible, and thus attempts to reconcile concerning the former Scriptures with the contradictory teachings of the Quran concerning the being and attributes of God, the Trinity, the Sonship of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Atonement, not to mention historical facts and the spirit of prophecy, the Christian does fairly take exception to this doctrine of abrogation. No amount of argument can ever so reconcile the Quran with the former Scriptures, which it professes to confirm, as to make it possible to accept both as the Word of God. If the Bible be acknowledged to be the Word of God (and every Muslim is bound to do so) then, all reasonable concession to the doctrine of abrogation being made, the Quran must still be rejected.

Dost not thou know that God is Almighty? This is given so the reason why God may abrogate any portion of his Word. It is the reason given by all Muslim commentators. "He can do as he pleases." But God cannot lie. He cannot deny eternal truth, historical facts, and his own nature. "He cannot deny himself." Compare the teaching of Jesus in Matt v. 17.

(107) That which was formerly required of Moses? "Jalaluddin says that what the Jews required of Moses was that they might see God manifestly. The Tafsir Husaini, however has it that they demanded that Muhammad should show them such a complete book, given at one time, as was given to Moses. Whatever the allusion may be, one thing is evident, viz., that Muhammad was troubled

for infidelity, hath already erred from the straight way. (108) Many of those unto whom the scriptures have been given, desire to render you again unbelievers, after ye have believed; out of envy from their souls, even after the truth is become manifest unto them; but for-give them and avoid them, till GOD shall send his command; for GOD is omnipotent.

(109) Be constant in prayer, and give alms; and what good ye have sent before for your souls, ye shall find it with GOD; surely GOD seeth that which ye do. (110) They say, Verily none shall enter paradise, except they who are Jews or Christians: this is their wish. Say, Produce your proof of this, if ye speak truth. (111) Nay, but he who resigneth himself to GOD, and doth that which is right, he shall have his reward

and displeased at the disposition of his followers to require of him similar evidence of his prophetic mission to that given by Moses." - Notes on Roman Urdu Quran.

(108) Out of envy from their souls, &c. See notes on ver. 89.

But forgive them, and avoid them. These words indicate the policy of Muhammad, so long as he was too weak to use the more convincing argument of the sword in the controversy with the powerful Jewish tribes of Madina. The faithful were not to wage war against them, but to forgive them, and to prevent their exercising any evil influence, they were to be avoided. The Tafsir-i-Raufi paraphrases this passage thus: "Forgive and pass them by, until God reveal his command concerning their slaughter or their payment of tribute."

(109) Be constant in prayer. Prayer is the first of the five principal duties of the Muslim. It consists in the offering of ascriptions of praise to the deity with supplication for divine blessing five times a day. The times for prayer are (1.) In the evening at four minutes after sunset; (2.) just after nightfall; (3.) at daybreak in the morning; (4.) at noon, as soon as the sun begins to decline from the meridian; (5.) midway between noon and sunset. See also note on ver. 42.

And alms. The giving of zakat, or legal and obligatory alms, is another of the five duties. The idea was probably borrowed from the Jewish tithes. See note on ver. 42, and Preliminary Discourse, p.172.

(110) They say, Verily none shall enter paradise, except they who are Jews Or Christians. "This passage was revealed on occasion of a dispute which Muhammad had with the Jews of Madina and the Christians of Najran, each of them asserting that those of their religion only should be saved." - Sale, Jalaluddin. See note on ver. 61.

(111) Say, but he who resigneth himself to God, and doth that which

with his LORD: there shall come no fear on them, neither shall they be grieved.

(112) The Jews say, The Christians are grounded on nothing; and the Christians say, The Jews are grounded on nothing; yet they both read the scriptures. So likewise say they who know not the scripture, according to their saying. But GOD shall judge between them on the day of the resurrection, concerning that about which they now disagree. (113) Who is more unjust than he who prohibiteth the temples of GOD, that his name should be remembered therein, and who hasteth to destroy them? Those men cannot enter therein, but with fear: (114) they shall

is right, &c. Here we have first a denial of the teaching of Jews and Christians that a profession of, and obedience to, the requirements of their religion is necessary to salvation. As this is also the teaching of the Muslims, the force of this denial of it by Muhammad can only be evaded by the convenient doctrine of abrogation. Secondly, we have here a declaration that resignation to the will of God and right doing, which Jalaluddin interprets as "asserting the unity of God," are the sole conditions of salvation. If so, then men are still under the law, and so cannot be saved, seeing none can fulfil its requirements. If so, then the Gospel of Jesus, which the Quran claims to have attested, is untrue.

(112) The Jews say, The Christians are grounded on nothing, &c. "The Jews and Christians are here accused of denying the truth of each other's religion, notwithstanding they read the Scriptures; whereas the Pentateuch bears testimony to Jesus, and the Gospel bears testimony to Moses." - Sale, Jalaluddin.

Yet they both read the Scriptures. This is further testimony to the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, as not only extant and in general use among Jews and Christians, but also to their credibility. The plain inference from this passage is that Muhammad regarded them as genuine. Whence then the ground for the charge made by him that the Jews and Christians changed and corrupted their Scriptures (ver. 41)? The answer is, that he did not charge upon them the crime of corrupting the text, but of perverting and concealing the meaning of their Scriptures.

The charge made by modern Muslims as to the corruption of the Bible text cannot be justified by any fair interpretation of the Quran. This is an arrow borrowed from the quiver of Christian infidelity.

They who know not the Scripture. The heathen Arabs, who sided with Jews and Christians in their debates.

(113, 114) Who is more unjust than he who prohibiteth the temples God, &c. "Or hindereth men from paying their adorations to

have shame in this world, and in the next a grievous punishment. (115) To GOD belongeth the east and the west; therefore whithersoever ye turn yourselves to pray, there is the face of GOD; for GOD is omnipresent and omniscient. (116) They say, GOD hath begotten children: GOD forbid! To him belongeth whatever is in heaven, and on earth; (117) all is possessed by him, the Creator of

God in those sacred places. This passage, says Jalaluddin, was revealed on news being brought that the Romans had spoiled the temple of Jerusalem; or else when the idolatrous Arabs obstructed Muhammad's visiting the temple of Makkah in the expedition of al Hudaibiya, which happened in the sixth year of the Hijra" -Sale.

But Rodwell points out that this verse is misplaced here, in case it has reference to the Makkans who obstructed Muhammad's visit to the Kaabah in the sixth year of the Hijra.

"Muhammad little thought how this verse foreshadowed his successors. The Mosque of Omer at Jerusalem and the Mosque of St. Sophia will occur to the reader." - Brinckman's Notes on Islam.

Those men cannot enter therein but with fear. This verse is referred to as authority for excluding Christians from the Musjid, especially from the Kaabah.

(115) Whithersoever ye turn yourself to pray, there is the face of God. This verse is regarded by all commentators as abrogated by ver. 145. It is said to have been revealed in the interval between the abrogation of the command to pray toward Jerusalem and the final command to turn toward Makkah. A multitude of stories have been invented to explain the verse, but their recital would be unprofitable.

For God is omnipresent and omniscient. This is given as the reason for requiring no Qibla. Even the Muslim must be struck with the very strange inconsistency between this reasonable statement and the reason assigned in ver. 145 for the command to turn to Makkah as the Qibla.

(116) They say, God hath begotten children. "This is spoken not only of the Christians and of the Jews (for they are accused of holding Uzair or Ezra to be the Son of God), but also the pagan Arabs, who imagined the angels to be daughters of God." - Sale, Tafsir-i-Raufi.

This charge indicates the ignorance of the Arabian prophet. Neither Jews nor Christians ever said God begot children in the sense here ascribed. The charge was probably due to an inference drawn from the language used by Christians, and perhaps by Jews, in speaking of Christ an his people as the "Son of God" and" the children of God." The charge against the Jews that they called Ezra the Son of God (chap. x.30) is entirely without proof, and altogether beyond the region of probability.

(117) Be, and it is. The doctrine that God creates out of nothing is here clearly recognized. Also his entire sovereignty over all things.

heaven and earth; and when he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it: Be, and it is. (118) And they who know not the scriptures say, Unless GOD speak unto us, or thou show us a sign, we will not believe. So said those before them, according to their saying: their hearts resemble each other. We have already shown manifest signs unto people who firmly believe; (119) we have, sent thee in truth, a bearer of good tidings and a preacher; and thou shalt not be questioned concerning the companions of hell. (120) But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of GOD is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no patron or protector against GOD. (121) They to whom we have

(118) Or thou show us a sign. This passage points to the strong pressure brought to bear upon Muhammad not only by Jews and Christians, but also by the Arabs, in their constant demand for miracles. Such passages also clearly show that Muhammad wrought no miracles.

We have already shown manifest signs. Muhammad here probably alludes to the verses (Ayat, signs) of the Quran as manifest signs to believers.

(119) We have sent thee ... a preacher. This is Muhammad's claim concerning himself. He ever sets himself forth as a preacher, yet as a messenger of God, an apostle, by whom the Quran was to be conveyed to and enforced upon the world. The power by which it was to be enforced, at the time this passage was written, was perauasion. The pains consequent on unbelief were the pains of hell-fire. Believers were not yet made by the power of the sword.

Thou shall not be questioned concerning the companions of hell. Tafsir Husaini says these words were spoken in reply to the inquiry of Muhammad concerning his parents who had died in idolatry. The meaning, however, seems to be that the prophet was not to dispute, but simply to proclaim the truth. If men would not believe, the responsibility rested with them. They thereby proved themselves to be companions of hell.

(120) Until thou follow their religion. We learn from this passage the growing division between the Jews and Christians and Muhammad who is now regarded as teaching doctrine which is far from attesting the faith of Abraham Moses, and Jesus. Even Muhammad recognizes "their religion" as different from his own, but yet different only as heresy differs from orthodoxy.

(121) They to whom we have given the book. Sale, in his translation,

given the book of the Quran and who read it with its true reading, they believe therein; and whoever believeth not therein, they shall perish.

(122) O children of Israel, remember my favor wherewith I have favoured you, and that I have preferred you before all nations; (123) and dread the day wherein one soul shall not make satisfaction for another soul, neither shall any compensation be accepted from them, nor shall any intercession avail, neither shall they be helped (124) Remember when the LORD tried Abraham by certain words, which he fulfilled: GOD said, Verily I will constitute thee a model of religion unto mankind; he answered, And also of my posterity; GOD said, My covenant doth not comprehend the ungodly.

supplies the words "of the Quran" after this sentence. Some Muslim commentators understand the passage in the same way; but the sentiment of the whole passage, as well as the interpretation of most Muslim commentators, is against it. The reference is to the Jewish and Christian Scriptures, and the meaning of the passage then is, "The direction of God is the true direction," i.e., Islam, and those Jews and Christians who read their own Scriptures "with its true reading," i.e., who do not change or twist the evident import thereof, " they believe therein."

We have in this passage a distinct witness of Muhammad himself to the genuineness and credibility of the Scriptures extant in his own time, and in use among Jews and Christians.

(122) O children of Israel.... I have preferred you before all nations, i.e., "until the time of Muhammad. Then the descendants of Ishmael were not so approved by God." - Brinckman's Notes on Islam.

This verse and the next are identical with vers. 46 and 47.

(124) Remember when the Lord tried Abraham. "God tried Abraham chiefly by commanding him to leave his native country and to offer his son. But the commentators suppose the trial here meant related only to some particular ceremonies, such as circumcision, pilgrimage to the Kaabah, several rites of purification, and the like." - Sale.

Which he fulfilled. Which Abraham fulfilled by leaving his home and country, and, as Muslims believe, by offering up Ismail as a sacrifice. chap. xxxvii. 101-107.

Verily I will constitute thee a model of religion. "I will establish thee the leader of the people."- Savary.

"I have rather expressed the meaning than truly translated the Arabic word Imam, which answers to the Latin Antiutes. This title the Muhammadans give to their priests who begin the prayers in their mosques, and whom all the congregation follow."- Sale.

(125) And when we appointed the holy house of Makkah to be a place of resort for mankind, and a place of security; and said, Take the station of Abraham for a place of prayer; and we covenanted with Abraham and Ismail, that they should cleanse my house for those who should compass it, and those who should be devoutly assiduous there, and those who should bow down and worship. (126)

(125) The holy house. "That is, the Kaabah, which isusually called by way of eminence, the house. Of the sanctity of this building and other particulars relating to it, see the Preliminary Discourse, p. 180." - Sale.

The station of Abraham. "A place so called within the inner enclosure of the Kaabah where they pretend to show the print of his foot in a stone."- Sale ,

According to the Tafsir-i-Raufi, Abraham visited the house of Ismail in his absence, but not liking the treatment he received from his wife, left with her a message or his son which was understood by Ismail to express a desire that he should divorce his wife. This he did, when he married another. Abraham came again in the absence of his son, and being urged by his daughter-in-law to descend from his camel and to permit her to was to wash his head, he declared that, owing to a vow not to leave his camel till he had completed his journey, he could not get down. Being pressed, however, he so far consented, that with one foot on his camel and the other on a stone he had his head washed! This is "the place of Abraham."

And we covenanted with Abraham and Ismail &c. The purpose of this passage seems to have been: (1.) To confirm in Arab minds their own traditions respecting Abraham and Ismail as the founders of the temple at Makkah and (2.) to present the prophet of Arabia as a reformer of Makkan idolatry, as Abraham was said to have been.

Throughout the Quran Muhammad endeavours very adroitly on the one hand to imitate the Old Testament prophets, and on the other to make it appear that the circumstances of trial and opposition under which the Old Testament prophets laboured were precisely similar to those under which he labored.

For most satisfactory reasons for regarding this whole Muslim history of Abraham and Ismail as utterly unworthy of th