ENTITLED, THE COVERED; REVEALED AT MECCA.
IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.
O THOU covered,q
arise and preach,r
and magnify thy LORD.
And cleanse thy garments:
and fly every abomination:s
and be not liberal in hopes to receive more in return:
and patiently wait for thy LORD.
When the trumpet shall sound,
verily that day shall be a day of distress
10 and uneasiness unto the unbelievers.
Let me alone with him whom I have created,t
on whom I have bestowed abundant riches,
and children dwelling in his presence,u
and for whom I have disposed affairs in a smooth and easy manner,x
and who desireth that I will yet add other blessings unto him.
By no means: because he is an adversary to our signs.y
I will afflict him with grievous calamities:z
for he hath devised and prepared contumelious expressions to ridicule the
Koran.
May he be cursed: how maliciously hath he prepared the same!
20 And again, may he be cursed: how maliciously hath he prepared the same!
Then he looked,
and frowned, and put on an austere countenance:
q It is related, from Mohammed's own mouth, that being on Mount Harâ,
and hearing himself called, he looked on each hand, and saw nobody; but
looking upwards, he saw the angel Gabriel on a throne, between heaven and
earth; at which sight being much terrified, he returned to his wife Khadîjah,
and bade her cover him up; and that then the angel descended, and addressed
him in the words of the text. From hence some think this chapter to have been
the first which was revealed: but the more received opinion is, that it was
the 96th. Others say that the prophet, having been reviled by certain of the
Koreish, was sitting in a melancholy and pensive posture, wrapped up in his
mantle, when Gabriel accosted him: and some say he was sleeping. See the
second note to the preceding chapter.
r It is generally supposed that Mohammed is here commanded more
especially to warn his near relations, the Koreish; as he is expressly ordered
to do in a subsequent revelation.2
s By the word abomination the commentators generally agree idolatry to
be principally intended.
t The person here meant is generally supposed to have been al Walid Ebn
al Mogheira,3 a principal man among the Koreish.
u Being well provided for, and not obliged to go abroad to seek their
livings, as most others of the Meccans were.4
x By facilitating his advancement to power and dignity; which were so
considerable that he was surnamed Rihâna Koreish, or The sweet odour of the
Koreish, and al Wahîd, i.e., The only one, or The incomparable.5
y On the revelation of this passage it is said that Walid's prosperity
began to decay, and continued daily so to do to the time of his death.6
z Or, as the words may be strictly rendered, I will drive him up the
crag of a mountain; which some understand of a mountain of fire, agreeably to
a tradition of their prophet, importing that al Walid will be condemned to
ascend this mountain, and then to be cast down from thence, alternately for
ever; and that he will be seventy years in climbing up, and as many in falling
down.7
2 See cap. 26, p. 281, and the Prelim. Disc. Sect. II. p. 33.
3 Al Zamakh., al Beidâwi, Jallal. 4 Al Beidâwi.
5 Idem. 6 Idem. 7 Idem.
then he turned back, and was elated with pride;
and he said, This is no other than a piece of magic, borrowed from
others:
these are only the words of a man.
I will cast him to be burned in hell.
And what shall make thee to understand what hell is?
It leaveth not anything unconsumed, neither doth it suffer anything to
escape:
it scorcheth men's flesh:
30 over the same are nineteen angels appointed.
We have appointed none but angels to preside over hell fire:a and we have
expressed the number of them only for an occasion of discord to the
unbelievers;b that they to whom the scriptures have been given may be certain
of the veracity of this book,c and the true believers may increase in faith;
and that those to whom the scriptures have been given, and the true
believers, may not doubt hereafter;
and that those in whose hearts there is an infirmity, and the
unbelievers, may say, What mystery doth GOD intend by this number?
Thus doth GOD cause to err whom he pleaseth; and he directeth whom he
pleaseth. None knoweth the armies of thy LORD,d besides him; and thise is no
other than a memento unto mankind.
Assuredly. By the moon,
and the night when it retreateth,
and the morning when it reddeneth,
I swear that this is one of the most terrible calamities,
giving warning unto men,
40 as well as unto him among you who desireth to go forward, as unto him
who chooseth to remain behind.
Every soul is given in pledge for that which it shall have wrought:f
except the companions of the right hand;g
who shall dwell in gardens, and shall ask one another questions
concerning the wicked,
and shall also ask the wicked themselves, saying, What hath brought you
into hell?
They shall answer, We were not of those who were constant at prayer,
neither did we feed the poor;
and we waded in vain disputes with the fallacious reasoners;
and we denied the day of judgment,
until deathh overtook us:
and the intercession of the interceders shall not avail them.
50 What aileth them, therefore, that they turn aside from the admonition of
the Koran,
as though they were timorous asses flying from a lion?
But every man among them desireth that he may have expanded scrolls
delivered to him from God.i
By no means. They fear not the life to come.
By no means: verily this is a sufficient warning.
Whoso is willing to be warned, him shall it warn: but they shall not be
warned, unless GOD shall please. He is worthy to be feared; and he is
inclined to forgiveness.
a The reason of which is said to be, that they might be of a different
nature and species from those who are to be tormented, lest they should have a
fellow-feeling of, and compassionate their sufferings; or else, because of
their great strength and severity of temper.1
b Or, for a trial of them: because they might say this was a particular
borrowed by Mohammed of the Jews.
c And especially the Jews; this being conformable to what is contained
in their books.2
d i.e., All his creatures; or particularly the number and strength of
the guards of hell.
e The antecedent seems to be hell.
f See chapter 52, p. 388.
g i.e., The blessed;3 who shall redeem themselves by their good works.
Some say these are the angels, and others, such as die infants.4
h Literally, That which is certain.
i For the infidels to Mohammed that they would never obey him as a
prophet till he brought each man a writing from heaven, to this effect, viz.,
From GOD to such a one: Follow Mohammed.5
1 Idem 2 Jallal. 3 See cap. 56, p. 396, note t.
4 Al Beidâwi. 5 Idem.