36 The Jews changed hittat, absolution, indulgence, into habbat, corn.

37 This and the next six verses are supposed to have been added at Medina.

38 Comp.  Sura [xci.] ii. 61.  No trace of this legend is to be found in the Talmudists.  The city is said to have been Aila (Elath) on the Red Sea.

39 Perhaps in allusion to Deut. xxviii. 49, 50.

40 As bribes to pervert Scripture, etc.

41 Sinai-which, however, is not mentioned in the Koran as the place where the law was given.  Comp.  “I will cover you with the mountain like a roof.”  Abodah Sar. 2, 2.  Thus also in Tract Sabbath, f. 88, 1, “R.  Avdimi . . . saith, These words teach us that the Holy One, blessed be He, turned the mountain over them like a vessel, and said to them, If ye will receive the law, well; but if not, there shall be your grave.”  This tradition is still held by the Jews.  See D. Lewis Pent.  Prayers, fol. 150.  Its origin is a misunderstanding of Ex. xix. 17, rightly rendered in the E. version at the nether part of the mountain.

42 To the Jews.

43 Balaam.  But according to others, a Jew who renounced his faith in Muhammad.

44 The 99 titles of God, taken from the Koran, are to be found in Maracci, vol. 11, p. 414, or in Macbride’s Religion of the Mohammedans, p. 121.  To facilitate the repetition of these names, the Muslims use a rosary.

45 In altering the names of God, changing allah into Allat, Elaziz into Alozza, Mennan into Menat, etc.

46 Lit. and in what declaration after it will they believe?

47 That is, it weighs heavily on the hopes and fears of men, djinn, and angels.

48 Probably the usual final clause, whence ye looked not for it, should here be added to make good the rhyme, which is otherwise interrupted in the original.

49 Some render salihan, well made, rightly shaped; others, virtuous, morally perfect.

50 And their idolatrous posterity.  Beidh.

51 Take or use indulgence; i.e. take men and their actions as they are, and make all due allowances.  Some understand it, of Muhammad’s accepting such voluntary and superfluous alms as the people could spare.

52 That is, those under Satanic influence.

53 Collected or sought it out.  Beidh.

SURA XLVI.-AL AHKAF [LXXXVIII.]

Mecca.-35 Verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Ha.  Mim.1 The Revelation (sending down) of this Book is from the Mighty, the
Wise!

We have not created the Heavens and the Earth and all that is between them otherwise than in truth and for a settled term.  But they who believe not, turn away from their warning.

Say:  What think ye?  As for those whom ye invoke beside God, shew me what part of the earth it is which they have created?  Had they a share in the Heavens?  Bring me a Book sent down by them before this Koran, or traces of their knowledge;2-if ye are men of truth.