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142
THE QUR'ÂN.
XXXIII, 23-29.
true to their covenant with God, and there are some who have fulfilled their vow1, and some who wait and have not changed with fickleness.
2
That God might reward the truthful for their truth, and punish the hypocrites if He please, or turn again towards them ;-verily, God is forgiving, merciful!
[25] And God drove back the misbelievers in their rage; they gat no advantage ;-God was enough for the believers in the fight, for God is strong, mighty!
And He drove down those of the people of the Book who had helped them from their fortresses * and hurled dread into their hearts; a part ye slew and ye took captive a part: and He gave you their land, and their dwellings, and their property for an inheritance, and a land ye had not trodden, for God is ever mighty over all.
O thou prophet! say to thy wives, 'If ye be desirous of the life of this world and its adornments, come, I will give you them to enjoy and I will let you range handsomely at large! But if ye be desirous of God and His Apostle and of the abode of the hereafter, verily, God has prepared for those of you who do good a mighty hire'!'
1 I. e. their vow to fight till they obtained martyrdom.
2 I. e. changed their mind.
I. e. who had helped the confederates.
* The Qurâithah Jews, whom Mohammed attacked after the siege of Medînah had been raised, and punished for their treachery in having joined the confederates although in league with him at the time.
" Mohammed being annoyed by the demands made by his wives for costly dresses and the like, offered them the choice of divorce or of being content with their usual mode of living. They chose the latter.
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