________________
194
THE QUR'ÂN.
XL, 36-46.
does God lead astray him who is extravagant, a doubter.
'Those who wrangle concerning the signs of God without authority having come to them are greatly hated by God and by those who believe; thus does God set a stamp upon the heart of every tyrant too big with pride!'
And Pharaoh said, 'O Hâmân! build for me a tower, haply I may reach the tracts,-the tracts of heaven, and may mount up to the God of Moses, for, verily, I think him a liar.'
[40] And thus was his evil deed made seemly to Pharaoh, and he was turned from the way; but Pharaoh's stratagem ended only in ruin, and he who believed said, 'O my people! follow me, I will guide you to the way of the right direction. O my people! verily, the life of this world is but a provision, but, verily, the hereafter, that is the abode of stability! Whoso does evil, he shall only be recompensed with the like thereof; and whoso does right, be it male or female and a believer, these shall enter into Paradise; they shall be provided therein without count. O my people! why should I call you to salvation, and you call me to the fire? [45] Ye call on me to disbelieve in God, and to join with Him what I have no knowledge of; but I call you to the mighty forgiving One! no doubt that what ye call me to, ought not to be called on in this world or in the hereafter, and that we shall be sent back to God, and that the extravagant, they are the fellows of the Fire!
'But ye shall remember what I say to you; and I entrust my affair to God, verily, God looks upon His servants!'
Digitized by
Google
