Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/212

86 Not alike are those of the believers who sit at home without harm, and those who are strenuous in God's way with their wealth and their persons. God hath preferred those who are strenuous with their wealth and their persons to those who sit still, by many degrees, and to each hath God promised good, but God hath preferred the strenuous for a mighty hire over those who sit still, — degrees from him, and pardon and mercy, for God is forgiving and merciful.

Verily, the angels when they took the souls of those who had wronged themselves, said, ‘ What state were ye in ? ’ they say, ‘ We were but weak in the earth ;’ they said, ‘ Was not God's earth wide enough for you to flee away therein ? ’ These are those whose resort is hell, and a bad journey shall it be!

Save for the weak men, and women, and children, who could not compass any stratagem, and were not guided to a way; these it may be God will pardon, for God both pardons and forgives.

Whosoever flees in the way of God shall find in the earth many a spacious refuge ; and he who goes forth from his house, fleeing unto God and His prophet, and then death catches him up, — his hire devolves on God, and God is forgiving and merciful.

And when ye knock about in the earth, it is no crime to you that ye come short in prayer, if ye fear that those who disbelieve will set upon you ; verily, the misbelievers are your obvious foes.