How many cities have turned aside from the command of their Lord and of his apostles!  Therefore did we reckon with them in a severe reckoning, and chastised them with a stern chastisement;

And they tasted the harmfulness of their own conduct:  and the end of their conduct was ruin.

A vehement chastisement hath God prepared for them!  Fear God, then, O ye men of understanding!2

Believers!  Now hath God sent down to you a warning! a prophet, who reciteth to you the clear signs of God, that he may bring those who believe, and do the things that are right, out of the darkness into the light.  And-whoso believeth in God, and doeth the things that are right, God will cause them to enter the gardens beneath which the rivers flow, to remain therein for aye!  A goodly provision now hath God made for him.

It is God who hath created seven heavens and as many earths.3 The Divine command cometh down through them all, that ye may know that God hath power over all things, and that God in his knowledge embraceth all things!

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1 Comp.  Sura [xci.] ii. 228, which this Sura is perhaps intended to supplement.  Wahidi and Beidhawi state that it was revealed on account of Ibn Omar who had divorced his wife at improper time, and was obliged to take her again.

2 In order to make good the rhyme, verse 10 ought to be continued to the end of the first clause of verse ii.

3 Lit. and of the earth, their likes.  The style of this verse resembles that of the Meccan Suras.  Hence, probably; a tradition in Omar ben Muhammad makes the whole Sura Meccan.

SURA LIX.-THE EMIGRATION [CII.]

Medina.-24 Verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

All that is in the Heavens and all that is on the Earth praiseth God!  He, the
Mighty, the Wise!

He it is who caused the unbelievers among the people of the Book to quit their homes and join those who had emigrated previously.1 Ye did not think that they would quit them; and they on their part thought that their fortresses would protect them against God:  But God came upon them whence they looked not for Him, and cast such fear into their hearts that by their own hands as well as by the hands of the victorious believers they demolished their houses!  Profit by this example ye who are men of insight!

And were it not that God had decreed their exile, surely in this world would he have chastised them:  but in the world to come the chastisement of the fire awaiteth them.

This because they set them against God and his apostle; and whoso setteth him against God. . . . !  God truly is vehement in punishing.

Your cutting down some of their palm trees and sparing others was by God’s permission, and to put the wicked to shame.

After the spoils of these Jews which God hath assigned to his apostle, ye pressed not with horse or camel.2 But God giveth his apostles power over what he will.  God is Almighty.