Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/306

180 from their starting off, and made them halt, and they were told to sit with those who sit. Had they gone forth with you they would but have made you more trouble, and they would have hurried about amongst you craving a sedition ; amongst you are some who would have listened to them ; but God knows those who are unjust ! They used to crave sedition before and upset thy affairs ; until the truth came, and God’s bidding was made manifest, averse although they were.

Of them are some who say, ‘ Permit me, and do not try me!’ Have they not fallen into the trial already, but hell shall encompass the misbelievers.

If good befall thee it seems ill to them ; but if a calamity befall thee they say, ‘ We had taken care for our affair before ;’ and they turn their backs and they are glad.

Say, ‘ Nought shall befall us save what God has written down for us ; He is our Lord, and upon God believers do rely !’

Say, ‘ Do ye await for us aught but one of the two best things ?’ we too await for you that God will inflict on you torment from Himself, or by our hands. Wait then ; and we with you are waiting too !

Say, ‘ Expend ye in alms, whether ye will or no, it shall not be accepted from you ; verily, ye are a people who do work abomination.’

But nought hinders their alms-giving from being accepted save that they misbelieve in God and His Apostle, and perform not prayer save lazily, and expend not in alms save reluctantly.