ENTITLED, THE SUN; REVEALED AT MECCA.
IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.
BY the Sun, and its rising brightness;
by the moon when she followeth him;y
by the day, when it showeth its splendor;
by the night, when it covereth him with darkness;
by the heaven, and him who built it;
by the earth, and him who spread it forth;
by the soul, and him who completely formed it,
and inspired into the same its faculty of distinguishing, and power of
choosing, wickedness and piety:
n Or, I will not swear, &c. See chapter 56, p. 398, note m.
o viz., The sacred territory of Mecca.
p Or, Thou shalt be allowed to do what thou pleasest in this territory;
the words, in this sense, importing a promise of that absolute power which
Mohammed attained on the taking of Mecca.1
q Some understand these words generally; others of Adam or Abraham, and
of their offspring, and of Mohammed in particular.2
r Or, to trouble. This passage was revealed to comfort the prophet
under the persecutions of the Koreish.3
s Some expositors take a particular person to be here intended, who was
one of Mohammed's most inveterate adversaries; as al Walid Ebn al Mogheira;4
others suppose Abu'l Ashadd Ebn Calda to be the man, who was so very strong,
that a large skin being spread under his feet, and ten men pulling at it, they
could not make him fall, though they tore the skin to pieces.5
t In a vain and ostentatious manner, or in opposing of Mohammed.6
u See chapter 56, p. 396.
x See ibid.
y i.e., When she rises just after him, as she does at the beginning of
the month; or when she gets after him, as happens when she is a little past
the full.7
1 Idem. 2 Idem. 3 Idem. 4 Al Zamakh.
5 Al Beidâwi.
6 Idem. 7 Idem.
now is he who hath purified the same, happy;
10 but he who hath corrupted the same, is miserable.
Thamud accused their prophet Saleh of imposture, through the excess of
their wickedness:
when the wretchz among them was sent to slay the camel;
and the apostle of GOD said unto them, Let alone the camel of GOD; and
hinder not her drinking.
But they charged him with imposture; and they slew her.
Wherefore their LORD destroyed them, for their crime, and made their
punishment equal unto them all:
and he feareth not the issue thereof.
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