C.D. Warner, et al., comp. The Library of the World’s Best Literature.
An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.
The Chapter of the Ginn
By The Koran
I
Say, “I have been inspired that there listened a company of the ginn, and they said, ‘We have heard a marvelous Qur’an that guides to the right direction; and we believe therein, and we join no one with our Lord, for verily, he—may the majesty of our Lord be exalted!—has taken to himself no consort nor son.
“‘And verily, a fool amongst us spake against God wide of the mark!
“‘And we thought that men and ginn would never speak a lie against God.
“‘And there are persons amongst men who seek for refuge with persons amongst the ginn; but they increase them in their perverseness. And they thought, as ye thought, that God would not raise up any one from the dead.
“‘But we touched the heavens and found them filled with a mighty guard and shooting stars; and we did sit in certain seats thereof to listen; but whoso of us listens now finds a shooting star for him on guard.
“‘And verily, we know not whether evil be meant for those who are in the earth, or if their Lord means right by them.
“‘And of us are some who are pious, and of us are some who are otherwise: we are in separate bands.
“‘And we thought that we could not frustrate God in the earth, and could not frustrate him by flight.
“‘But verily, when we heard the guidance we believed the rein, and he who believes in his Lord shall fear neither diminution nor loss.
“‘And verily, of us are some who are Muslims, and of us some are trespassers: but those of us who are Muslims, they strive after right direction; and as for the trespassers, they are fuel for hell.
“‘And if they will go right upon the way, we will irrigate them with copious water to try them thereby; and whoso turns from the remembrance of his Lord, He will drive him to severe torment.’”
And [say] that the mosques are God’s, and that ye should not call any one with God, and that when God’s servant stood up to pray, they called out to him and well-nigh crowded upon him. Say, “I only call upon my Lord, and I join no one with him.”
Say, “Verily, I cannot control for you either harm or right direction.”
Say, “Verily, as for me none can protect me against God, nor do I find any refuge beside him,—except delivering the message from God and his errands; and whoso rebels against God and his Apostle, verily for him is the fire of hell for them to dwell therein for ever and for aye!”
Until when they see what they are threatened with, then shall they surely know who is most weak at helping and fewest in numbers!
Say, “I know not if what ye are threatened with be nigh, or if my Lord will set it for a term. He knows the unseen, and he lets no one know his unseen save such people as he is well pleased with; for verily, he sends marching before him and behind him a guard!” That he may know that they have delivered the errands of the Lord; for he compasses what they have, and reckons everything by number.