26 In the womb.

27 Of all sorts.

28 Lit. attaineth to.  Mr. Lane renders, “the eyes see not Him, but He seeth the eyes.”

29 The verses of the Koran.

30 Comp.  Ex. xxii. 28.

31 Notwithstanding this disclaimer, the Muslim tradition, etc. speak of many of their Prophet’s miracles.  See Maracci’s Prodr. p. ii. p. 16, and 30 46.

32 Verses 118-121 seem misplaced, and should probably follow 154.

33 Lit. the outside of iniquity and its inside.  Some understand these words of open sins, and secret sins.

34 That is, God’s method of dealing with the guilty was to send apostles previous to the execution of his judgments.

35 It appears to have been the custom of the idolatrous Arabs to set apart one portion of their fields for the Supreme God, and the other for the inferior gods represented by their idols.  If any of the fruit happened to fall from the part consecrated to the idols into that consecrated to God, they restored it, but if the reverse occurred, they gave it to the idols.  God, said they, is rich and can dispense with it.  The secret, however, was that the idols’ portion was reserved for the priests, Beidhawi.  Freytag mentions the names of 73 idols worshipped by the Arab tribes, previous to Islam (Einl. pp. 270 and 342 357) and generally with Allah, as Supreme God.

36 Comp.  Sura [cxiv.] v. 102.

37 Comp.  Sura xvii. 33, p. 167.

38 See verse 120 above.

39 This very abrupt transition to Jewish history seems to indicate that a passage between this and the preceding verse is lost.

40 Lit. we were careless of their studies

SURA XIII.-THUNDER [XC.]

Mecca.-43 Verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

ELIF.  Lam.  Mim.  Ra.1 These, the signs of the Book!  And that which hath been sent down to thee from thy Lord is the very truth:  But the greater part of men will not believe.

It is God who hath reared the Heavens without pillars thou canst behold; then mounted his throne, and imposed laws on the sun and moon:  each travelleth to its appointed goal.  He ordereth all things.  He maketh his signs clear, that ye may have firm faith in a meeting with your Lord.

And He it is who hath outstretched the earth, and placed on it the firm mountains, and rivers:  and of every fruit He hath placed on it two kinds:  He causeth the night to enshroud the day.  Verily in this are signs for those who reflect.

And on the earth hard by each other are its various portions:  gardens of grapes and corn, and palm trees single or clustered.  Though watered by the same water, yet some make we more excellent as food than other:  Verily in all this are signs for those who understand.

If ever thou dost marvel, marvellous surely is their saying, “What! when we have become dust, shall we be restored in a new creation?”