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Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 9.djvu/153

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ⅩⅩⅫ, 19-26.
the chapter of adoration.
137

are the gardens of resort, an entertainment for that which they have done !

20 But as for those who commit abomination there resort is the Fire. Every time that they desire to go forth therefrom, we will send them back therein, and it will be said to them, ‘ Taste ye the torment of the fire which ye did call a lie !’ and we will surely make them taste of the torment of the nearer torment beside the greater torment[1],— haply they may yet return.

Who is more unjust than he who is reminded of the signs of his Lord, and then turns away from them ? Verily, we will take vengeance on the sinners !

And we did give Moses the Book ; be not then in doubt concerning the meeting with him[2]; and we made it a guidance to the children of Israel.

And we made amongst them high priests who guided by our bidding, since they were patient and were sure of our signs.

25 Verily, thy Lord, he shall decide between them on the resurrection day concerning that whereon they do dispute.

Is it not conspicuous to them how many generations we have destroyed before them ? they walk


  1. I. e. the torment of this world as well as that of the next.
  2. This may refer to the alleged meeting of Mohammed and Moses in heaven during the ‘ night journey ;’ or it may be translated, ‘ the reception of it,’ i. e. the Qurʼân, the expression in Chapter ⅩⅩⅦ, 6, being derived from the same root in Arabic, which means ‘ to meet.’ The native commentators are divided in opinion as to these two interpretations. It is quite possible, however, that it may mean, ‘ be not in doubt as to a meeting with Him,’ and be a mere reiteration of the sentiment so often expressed, that Muslims are to be certain of a meeting with their Lord.