Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/266

140 the earth there is an abode, and a provision for a season.’ He said, ‘ Therein shall ye live and therein shall ye die, from it shall ye be brought forth.’

O sons of Adam! we have sent down to you garments wherewith to cover your shame, and plumage ; but the garment of piety, that is better. That is one of the signs of God, haply ye may remember.

O sons of Adam ! let not Satan infatuate you as he drove your parents out of Paradise, stripping from them their garments, and showing them their shame ; verily, he sees you — he and his tribe, from whence ye cannot see them. Verily, we have made the devils patrons of those who do not believe, and when they commit an abomination they say, ‘We found our fathers at this, and God bade us do it.’

Say, ‘ God bids you not to do abomination ; do ye say against God that which ye do not know ?’

Say, ‘ My Lord bids only justice : — set steadfastly you faces at every mosque and pray to Him, being sincere in your religion. As He brought you forth in the beginning, shall ye return. A sect He guides, and for a sect of them was error due ; verily, they did take the devils for their patrons instead of God, and they did count that they were guided.’

O sons of Adam ! take your ornaments to every mosque ; and eat and drink, but do not be extravagant, for He loves not the extravagant.

Say, ‘ Who has prohibited the ornaments of God which He brought forth for His servants, and the good things of His providing ?’ say, ‘ On the day of