They worship beside God, that for which He hath sent down no warranty, and that of which they have no knowledge: but for those who commit this wrong, no helper!
And when our clear signs are rehearsed to them, thou mayst perceive disdain in the countenances of the Infidels. Scarce can they refrain from rushing to attack those who rehearse our signs to them! SAY: Shall I tell you of worse than this? The fire which God hath threatened to those who believe not! Wretched the passage thither!
O men! a parable is set forth to you, wherefore hearken to it. Verily, they on whom ye call beside God, cannot create a fly, though they assemble for it; and if the fly carry off aught from them, they cannot take it away from it! Weak the suppliant and the supplicated!
Unworthy the estimate they form of God!14 for God is right Powerful, Mighty!
God chooseth messengers from among the angels and from among men: verily, God Heareth, Seeth.
He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them; and unto God shall all things return.
Believers! bow down and prostrate yourselves and worship your Lord, and work righteousness that you may fare well.
And do valiantly in the cause of God as it behoveth you to do for Him. He hath elected you, and hath not laid on you any hardship in religion, the Faith of your father Abraham. He hath named you the Muslims
Heretofore and in this Book, that the Apostles may be a witness against you, and that ye may be witnesses against the rest of mankind. Therefore observe prayer, and pay the legal impost, and cleave fast to God. He is your liege Lord-a goodly Lord, and a goodly Helper!
1 This Sura is generally said to have been revealed at Mecca,-but this is probably only the case with verses 1-24; 43-56; 60-65; 67-75. Mr. Muir places it at the close of the Meccan Suras of the fifth period. See Nöld, p. 158.
2 Said to be Abu Jahl. See Sura xcvi. p. 20, n. 2.
3 Lit. so that after knowledge he knoweth not aught.
4 The teachings and progress of Islam.
5 See Sura [xci.] ii. 59. The Sabeites were probably Hanyfs. See Pref.
6 The Kaaba. Sharastani informs us that there was an opinion prevalent among the Arabs, that the walking round the Kaaba, and other ceremonies, were symbolic of the motion of the planets and of other astronomical facts. Watwat, Mabahij al Fikr., Lib. i., c. 2, says that "most Arabic tribes were originally star-worshippers, Sabeans. The people of Saba worshipped the Sun, the tribes of Asad and Kaninah the Moon, etc. etc. At a later period they all sunk into idolatry, and in the time of Muhammad, the idols round the Kaaba amounted to 360."
7 Lit. thin, with the implied sense of fleet.
8 The ten first days of the Dhu'lhajja. For the ceremonies, see Freytag's Einleitung, p. 418; Burton's Pilgrimage, vol. iii.; Sale's Notes and Prelim. Disc.
9 That is, the uncut beards, nails, etc.