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XLIII, 1-13.
THE CHAPTER OF GILDING.
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TE LIBRARY FREE OF THE
(UNIVERSITY
THE CHAPTER OF GILDING
(XLIII. Mecca.) IFORNIA In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
'H. M. By the perspicuous Book, verily, we have made it an Arabic Qur'ân ; haply ye will have some sense. And it is in the Mother of the Book with us,-high and wise 1. Shall we then push aside from you the Reminder, because ye are a people who are extravagant ?
[5] How many prophets have we sent amongst those of yore? and there never came to them a prophet but they did mock at him; then we destroyed them—more valiant than these?; and the example of those of yore passed away.
And if thou shouldst ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely say, 'The mighty, the knowing One created them,' who made for you the earth a couch and placed for you therein roads, haply ye may be guided : [10] and who sent down from the heaven water in due measure; and we raised up thereby a dead country; thus shall ye too be brought forth; and who has created all species; and has made for you the ships and the cattle whereon to ride that ye may settle yourselves on their backs; then remember the favour of your Lord when ye settled thereon, and say, 'Celebrated be the praises of Him who hath subjected this to us! We could not have got this ourselves; and, verily, unto our Lord shall we return!'
I.e. the Meccans.
* See Part I, p. 2, note 2.
P2
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