Thanksgiving
Yüklə 2,27 Mb.
|
|
k Some say the table descended on a Sunday, which was the reason of the Christians observing that day as sacred. Others pretend this day is still kept among them as a very great festival; and it seems as if the story had its rise from an imperfect notion of ChristÕs last supper and the institution of the Eucharist. i Or, since thou hast caused me to die: but as it is a dispute among the Mohammedans whether Christ actually died or not, before his assumption,3 and the original may be translated either way, I have chosen the former expression, which leaves the matter undecided. Idem, al Thalabi. 2 Vide Marracc. in Alc. p. 238, &c. 3 See cap. 3, p. 38. m This chapter is so entitled, because some superstitious customs of the Meccans, as to certain cattle, are therein incidentally mentioned. n Except only six verses, or, say others, three verses, which are taken notice of in the notes. o By the last term some understand the time of the resurrection. Others think that by the first term is intended the space between creation and death, and by the latter, that between death and the resurrection. p That is, they shall be convinced of the truth which they have made a jest of, when they see the punishment which they shall suffer for so doing, both in this world and the next; or when they shall see the glorious success of Mohammedism. q i.e., We had blessed them with greater power and length of prosperity than we have granted you, O men of Mecca.1 Mohammed seems here to mean the ancient and potent tribes of Ad and Thamžd, &c.2 r That is to say, As they would not have believed, even if an angel had descended to them from heaven, GOD has shown his mercy in not complying with their demands; for if he had, they would have suffered immediate condemnation, and would have been allowed no time for repentance. s As Gabriel generally appeared to Mahommed; who, though a prophet, was not able to 1 Al Beid‰wi. 2 See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. I. p. 5, &c. bear the sight of him when he appeared in his proper form, much less would others be able to support it. t That is, the first of my nation.1 u This passage was revealed when the Koreish told Mohammed that they had asked the Jews and Christians concerning him, who assured them they found no mention or description of him in their books of scripture, Therefore, said they, who bears witness to thee, that thou art the apostle of GOD?2 x See chapter 2, p. 16. y Saying the angels are the daughters of GOD, and intercessors for us with him, &c.3 z i.e., Your idols and false gods. a That is, their imaginary deities prove to be nothing, and disappear like vain phantoms and chimeras. b The persons here meant were Abu Sofi‰n, al Wal”d, al Nodar, Otha, Abu Jahl, and their comrades, who went to hear Mohammed repeat some of the Kor‰n; and Nodar being asked what he said, answered, with an oath, that he knew not, only that he moved his tongue, and told a parcel of foolish stories, as he had done to them.4 1 Al Beid‰wi. 2 Idem, JallaloÕddin. 3 Al Beid‰wi. 4 Idem. c Their hypocrisy and vile actions; nor does their promise proceed from any sincere intention of amendment, but from the anguish and misery of their condition.5 d viz., In order for judgment. e The last day is here called the hour, as it is in scripture;6 and the preceding expression of meeting GOD on that day is also agreeable to the same.7 f When an infidel comes forth from his grave, says JallaloÕddin, his works shall be represented to him under the ugliest form that ever he beheld, having a most deformed countenance, a filthy smell, and a disagreeable voice; so that he shall cry out, GOD defend me from thee, what art thou? I never saw anything more detestable! To which the figure will answer, Why dost thou wonder at my ugliness? I am thy evil works;1 thou didst ride upon me while thou wast in the world; but now will I ride upon thee, and thou shalt carry me. and immediately it shall get upon him; and whatever he shall meet shall terrify him, and say, Hail, thou enemy of God, thou art he who was meant by (these words of the Kor‰n), and they shall carry their burdens, &c.2 g That is, it is not thou but GOD whom they injure by their impious gainsaying of what has been revealed to thee. It is said that Abu Jahl once told Mohammed that they did not accuse him of falsehood, because he was known to be a man of veracity, but only they did not believe the revelations which he brought them; which occasioned this passage.3 h i.e., Thou has been acquainted with the stories of several of the preceding prophets; what persecutions they suffered from those to whom they were sent, and in what manner GOD supported them and punished their enemies, according to his unalterable promise.4 5 Idem. 6 1 John v. 25, &c. 7 1 Thess. iv. 17. 1 See MiltonÕs Paradise Lost, bk. ii v. 737, &c. 2 See also cap. 3, p. 48. 3 Al Beid‰wi. 4 Idem. i In this passage Mohammed is reproved for his impatience in not bearing with the obstinacy of his countrymen, and for his indiscreet desire of effecting what GOD hath not decreed, namely, the conversion and salvation of all men.5 k Being both ignorant of GODÕS almighty power, and of the consequence of what they ask, which might prove their utter destruction. l Being created and preserved by the same omnipotence and providence as ye are. m That is, in the preserved table, wherein GODÕS decrees are written, and all things which come to pass in this world, as well the most minute as the more momentous, are exactly registered.6 n For, according to the Mohammedan belief, the irrational animals will also be restored to life at the resurrection, that they may be brought to judgment, and have vengeance taken on them for the injuries they did one another while in this world.7 o That is, ye shall then forsake your false gods, when ye shall be effectually convinced that GOD alone is able to deliver you from eternal punishment. But others rather think that this forgetting will be the effect of the distress and terror which they will then be in.8 p That is, we gave them all manner of plenty; that since they took no warning by their afflictions, their prosperity might become a snare to them, and they might bring down upon themselves swifter destruction. q Laying them before you in different views, and making use of arguments and motives drawn from various considerations. r That is, says al Beid‰wi, either without any previous notice, or after some warning given. 5 Idem. 6 See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. 7 See ibid. p. 67. 8 Al Beid‰wi. s These words were occasioned when the Koreish desired Mohammed not to admit the poor or more inferior people, such as Amm‰r, Soheib, Khobb‰b, and Salm‰n, into his company, pretending that then they would come and discourse with him; but he refusing to turn away any believers, they insisted at least that he should order them to rise up and withdraw when they came, which he agreed to do. Others say that the chief men of Mecca expelled all the poor out of their city, bidding them go to Mohammed; which they did, and offered to embrace his religion; but he made some difficulty to receive them, suspecting their motive to be necessity, and not real conviction;1 whereupon this passage was revealed. t i.e., Rashly to decide whether their intentions be sincere or not; since thou canst not know their heart, and their faith may possibly be more firm than that of those who would persuade thee to discard them. u That is to say, the noble by those of mean extraction, and the rich by the poor; in that GOD chose to call the latter to the faith before the former.2 x This passage is an answer to the audacious defiances of the infidels, who bad Mohammed, if he were a true prophet, to call for a shower of stones from heaven, or some other sudden and miraculous punishment, to destroy them.3 y For I should ere now have destroyed you, out of zeal for GODÕS honour, had it been in my power.4 1 Idem, JallaloÕddin. 2 Al Beid‰wi. 3 Idem. 4 Idem. z i.e., The preserved table, or register of GODÕS decrees. a See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. b That is, the angel of death and his assistants.5 c See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. d That is, the dangers and distresses. e The Cufic copies read it in the third person, if he deliver us, &c. f Returning to your old idolatry. g That is, by storms from heaven, as he destroyed the unbelieving people of Noah, and of Lot, and the army of Abraha, the lord of the elephant.1 h Either by drowning you, as he did Pharaoh and his host, or causing the earth to open and swallow you up, as happened to Korah, or (as the Mohammedans name him) Karun.2 i And therefore need not be troubled at the indecent and impious talk of the infidels, provided they take care not to be infected by them. When the preceding passage was revealed, the Moslems told their prophet that if they were obliged to rise up whenever the idolaters spoke irreverently of the Kor‰n, they could never sit quietly in the temple, nor perform their devotions there; whereupon these words were added.3 5 See the Prelim. Disc. Sec. IV. 1 Al Beid‰wi. 2 Idem. 3 Idem, JallaloÕddin. k See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. IV. l This is the name which the Mohammedans give to AbrahamÕs father, named in scripture Terah. However, some of their writers pretend that Azer was the son of Terah,1 and DÕHerbelot says that the Arabs always distinguish them in their genealogies as different persons; but that because Abraham was the son of Terah according to Moses, it is therefore supposed (by European writers) that Terah is the same with the Azer of the Arabs.2 How true this observation may be in relation to some authors, I cannot say, but I am sure it cannot be true of all; for several Arab and Turkish writers expressly make Azer and Terah the same person.3 Azer, in ancient times, was the name of the planet Mars, and the month of March was so called by the most ancient Persians; for the word originally signifying fire (as it still does,) it was therefore given by them and the Chaldeans to that planet,4 which partaking, as was supposed, of a fiery nature, was acknowledged by the Chaldeans and Assyrians as a god or planetary deity, whom in old times they worshipped under the form of a pillar: whence Azer became a name among the nobility, who esteemed it honourable to be denominated from their gods,5 and is found in the composition of several Babylonish names. For these reasons a learned author supposes Azer to have been the heathen name of Terah, and that the other was given him on his conversion.6 Al Beid‰wi confirms this conjecture, saying that Azer was the name of the idol which he worshipped. It may be observed that AbrahamÕs father is also called Zarah in the Talmud and Athar by Eusebius. m That Azer, or Terah, was an idolater is allowed on all hands; nor can it be denied, since he is expressly said in scripture to have served strange gods.7 The eastern authors unanimously agree that he was a statuary, or carver of idols; and he is represented as the first who made images of clay, pictures only having been in use before,8 and taught that they were to be adored as gods.9 However, we are told his employment was a very honourable one,10 and that he was a great lord, and in high favour with Nimrod, whose son-in-law he was,11 because he made his idols for him, and was excellent in his art. Some of the Rabbins say Terah was a priest, and chief of the order.12 n That is, we gave him a right apprehension of the government of the world and of the heavenly bodies, that he might know them all to be ruled by GOD, by putting him on making the following reflections. o Since AbrahamÕs parents were idolaters, it seems to be a necessary consequence that himself was one also in his younger years; the scripture not obscurely intimates as much,1 and the Jews themselves acknowledge it.2 At what age he came to the knowledge of the true God and left idolatry, opinions are various. Some Jewish writers tell us he was then but three years old,3 and the Mohammedans likewise suppose him very young, and that he asked his father and mother several shrewd questions when a child.4 Others, however, allow him to have been 1 Tar”kh Montakhab, apud DÕHerbel. Bibl. Orient. p. 12. 2 DÕHerbel. ibid. 3 Al Beid‰wi, JallaloÕddin, Yahya, Ebn Shohnah, Mirat Kainat, &c. Vide etiam Pharhang Jehang-hiri, apud Hyde de Rel. Vet. Persar. p. 68. 4 Hyde, ibid. p. 63. 5 Idem, ibid. p. 64. 6 Idem, ibid. p. 62. 7 Josh. xxiv. 2, 14. 8 Epiphan. adv. H¾r. l. r, p. 7, 8. 9 Suidas in Lexico, voce ·epœx. 10 Vide Hyde, ubi sup. p. 63. 11 DÕHerbel. ubi sup. 12 Shalshel. hakkab. p. 94. 1 Vide Josh. xxiv. 2, 14, and Hyde, ubi sup. p. 59. 2 Joseph. Ant. l. I, c. 7. Maimon. More Nev. part iii. c. 29, et Yad Hazzak. de Id. c. I, &c. 3 Tanchuma, Talmud, Nedarim, 32, I, et apud Maimon. Yad Hazz. ubi sup. 4 Vide DÕHerbel. Bibl. Orient. Art. Abraham. a middle-aged man at that time.5 Maimonides, in particular, and R. Abraham Zacuth think him to have been forty years old, which age is also mentioned in the Kor‰n. But the general opinion of the Mohammedans is that he was about fifteen or sixteen.6 As the religion wherein Abraham was educated was the Sabian, which consisted chiefly in the worship of the heavenly bodies,7 he is introduced examining their nature and properties, to see whether they had a right to the worship which was paid them or not; and the first which he observed was the planet Venus, or, as others will have it, Jupiter.8 This method of AbrahamÕs attaining to the knowledge of the supreme Creator of all things, is conformable to what Josephus writes, viz.: That he drew his notions from the changes which he had observed in the earth and the sea, and in the sun and the moon, and the rest of the celestial bodies; concluding that they were subject to the command of a superior power, to whom alone all honour and thanks are due.9 The story itself is certainly taken from the Talmud.10 Some of the commentators, however, suppose this reasoning of Abraham with himself was not the first means of his conversion, but that he used it only by way of argument to convince the idolaters among whom he then lived. p That is, I am not afraid of your false gods, which cannot hurt me, except GOD permitteth it, or is pleased to afflict me himself. q By injustice, in this place, the commentators understand idolatry, or open rebellion against GOD. r Some refer the relative his to Abraham, the person chiefly spoken of in this passage; some to Noah, the next antecedent, because Jonas and Lot were not (say they) of AbrahamÕs seed; and others suppose the persons named in this and the next verse are to be understood as the descendants of Abraham, and those in the following verse as those of Noah.11 s The Mohammedans say he was of the race of Esau. See chapters 21 and 38. t See chapter 37. u This prophet was the successor of Elias, and, as the commentators will have it, the son of Okhtžb, though the scripture makes him the son of Shaphat. x See chapters 10, 21, and 37. y See chapter 7, &c. 5 Maimon. ubi sup. R. Abr. Zacuth in Sefer Juchasin, Shalshel. hakkab, &c. 6 Vide Hyde, ubi sup. p. 60, 61, et Hotting. Smegma Orient. p. 290, &c. Genebr. in Chron. 7 See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. I. p. 11. 8 Al Beid‰wi. 9 Joseph. Ant. l. I, c. 7. 10 R. Bechai, in Midrash. Vide Bartolocc. Bibl. Rabb. part i. p. 640. 11 Al Beid‰wi. z That is, the Koreish.1 a That is, they know him not truly, nor have just notions of his goodness and mercy towards man. The persons here meant, according to some commentators, are the Jews, and according to others, the idolaters.2 This verse and the two next, as JallaloÕddin thinks, were revealed at Medina. b By these words the Jews (if they were the persons meant) chiefly intended to deny the Kor‰n to be of divine revelation, though they might in strictness insist that GOD never revealed, or sent down, as the Kor‰n expresses it, any real composition or material writing from heaven in the manner that Mohammed pretended his revelations were delivered,3 if we except only the Decalogue, GOD having left to the inspired penmen not only the labour of writing, but the liberty, in a great measure at least, of putting the truths into their own words and manner of expression. c Falsely pretending to have received revelations from him, as did Moselama, al Aswad al Ansi, and others. d As did AbdaÕllah Ebn Saad Ebn Abi Sarah, who for some time was the prophetÕs amanuensis, and when these words were dictated to him as revealed, viz., We created man of a purer kind of clay, &c.,4 cried out, by way of admiration, Blessed be GOD the best Creator! and being ordered by Mohammed to write these words down also, as part of the inspired passage, began to think himself as great a prophet as his master.5 Whereupon he took upon himself to corrupt and alter the Kor‰n according to his own fancy, and at length apostatizing, was one of the ten who were proscribed at the taking of Mecca,6 and narrowly escaped with life on his recantation, by the interposition of Othm‰n Ebn Aff‡n, whose foster-brother he was.7 e For some Arabs, it seems, had the vanity to imagine, and gave out, that, if they pleased, they could write a book nothing inferior to the Kor‰n. f See before, p. 94, note b. g That is, without your wealth, your children, or your friends, which ye so much depended on in your lifetime. h i.e., Naked and helpless. 1 Idem. 2 Idem. 3 See the Prelim. Disc. Sect. III. p. 50, &c. 4 Kor. c. 23. 5 Al Beid‰wi. 6 See the Prelim. Disc. p. 43. 7 Vide Abulfeda, Vit. Moh. p. 109. 16Ð2
Or false gods. k Concerning the intercession of your idols, or the disbelief of future rewards and punishments. l See chapter 3, p. 34. m Namely, in the loins of your fathers, and the wombs of your mothers.1 n This word signifies properly the genus of rational, invisible beings, whether angels, devils, or that intermediate species usually called genii. Some of the commentators therefore, in this place, understand the angels, whom the pagan Arabs worshipped; and others the devils, either because they became their servants by adoring idols at their instigation, or else because, according to the Magian system, they looked on the devil as a sort of creator, making him the author and principle of all evil, and GOD the author of good only.2 o See the Prelim. Discourse, p. 14 and 30. p Or, as the word may be translated, the incomprehensible.3 q That is, Thou hast been instructed by the Jews and Christians in these matters, and only retailest to us what thou hast learned of them. For this the infidels objected to Mohammed, thinking it impossible for him to discourse on subjects of so high a nature, and in so clear and pertinent a manner, without being well versed in the doctrines and sacred writings of those people. 1 Al Beid‰wi. 2 Idem. 3 Idem. r In this passage Mohammed endeavours to excuse his inability of working a miracle, as had been demanded of him; declaring that GOD did not think fit to comply with their desires; and that if he had so thought fit, yet it had been in vain, because if they were not convinced by the Kor‰n, they would not be convinced by the greatest miracle.4 s i.e., In the Kor‰n. t For the Meccans required that Mohammed should either show them an angel descending from heaven in their sight, or raise their dead fathers, that they might discourse with them, or prevail on GOD and his angels to appear to them in a body. u Some interpret this of the immutability of GODÕS decree, and the certainty of his threats and promises; others, of his particular promise to preserve the Kor‰n from any such alterations or corruptions as they imagine to have happened to the Pentateuch and the Gospel;1 and others, of the unalterable duration of the Mohammedan law, which they hold is to last till the end of the world, there being no other prophet, law, or dispensation to be expected after it. x Imagining that the true religion was that which their idolatrous ancestors professed. y See chap. 2, p. 18, and chap. 5, p. 73. 4 Confer Luke xvi. 31. 1 See the Prelim. Disc. p. 58, and Kor. c. 15. z That is, both open and secret sins. a The persons primarily intended in this passage, were Hamza, MohammedÕs uncle, and Abu Jahl; others, instead of Hamza, name Omar, or Amm‰r b In the same manner as we have done in Mecca. c i.e., Any verse or passage of the Kor‰n. d These were the words of the Koreish, who thought that there were persons among themselves more worthy of the honour of being GODÕS messenger than Mohammed. e Literally, Where he will place his commission. GOD, says al Beid‰wi, bestows not the gift of prophecy on any one on account of his nobility or riches, but for their spiritual qualifications; making choice of such of his servants as he pleases, and who he knows will execute their commissions faithfully. f Or had undertaken the most impossible thing in the world. In like manner shall the heart of such a man be incapable of receiving the truth. g That is, of devils.1 h In tempting and seducing them to sin. i The advantage which men received from the evil spirits, was their raising and satisfying their lusts and appetites; and that which the latter received in return, was the obedience paid them by the former, &c.2 k viz., The day of resurrection, which we believed not in the other world. 1 Al Beid‰wi. 2 Idem, JallaloÕddin. Yüklə 2,27 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
|