Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 9.djvu/227

ⅩⅬⅢ, 1-13. . (ⅩⅬⅢ. Mecca.)

In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

ʿH. M. By the perspicuous Book, verily, we have made it an Arabic Qurʼân ; haply ye will have some sense. And it is in the Mother of the Book with us, — high and wise. Shall we then push aside from you the Reminder, because ye are a people who are extravagant ?

How many prophets have we sent amongst those of yore ? and there never came to them a prophet but they did mock at him ; then we destroyed them — more valiant than these ; and the example of those of yore passed away.

And if thou shouldst ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely say, ‘ The mighty, the knowing One created them,’ who made for you the earth a couch and placed for you therein roads, haply ye may be guided : and who sent down from the heaven water in due measure; and we raised up thereby a dead country ; thus shall ye too be brought forth; and who has created all species; and has made for you the ships and the cattle whereon to ride that ye may settle yourselves on their backs ; then remember the favour of your Lord when ye settled thereon, and say, ‘ Celebrated be the praises of Him who hath subjected this to us ! We could not have got this ourselves ; and, verily, unto our Lord shall we return !’

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