The Alcoran of Mahomet, translated out of Arabick into French, by the Sieur Du Ryer, Lord of Malezair, and resident for the French king, at Alexandria. And newly Englished, for the satisfaction of all that desire to look into the Turkish vanities. To which is prefixed, the life of Mahomet, the prophet of the Turks, and author of the Alcoran. With A needful caveat, or admonition, for them who desire to know what use may be made of, or if there be danger in reading the Alcoran.

CHAP. XLVIII. The Chapter of Conquest, containing twenty nine Verses, written at Mecca.

This is the Chapter, Of the taking of the City of Mecca.

IN the name of God, gracious and merciful. We have given thee a manifest victory. God pardon∣eth the sin that thou didst commit, when thou wert too prompt, and when thou wert too tardy, [to fight for his Law;] he shall accomplish his grace upon thee, he shall guide thee into the right way, and shall powerfully protect thee; he hath

delivered the hearts of the believers from fear, to augment their faith; he disposeth the forces of the Heavens and Earth, he knoweth all, and is most prudent. He shall make them that shall obey his Commandments, to dwell in Gardens, where∣in flow many rivers, and shall remit to them their offences, this is supreme felicity: The Infidels, the wicked, the disobedient, and unjust, that have evil thoughts of God, shall be accursed of his Divine Majesty, misery shall always pursue them, and his wrath be eternally upon them; he hath prepared for them the pains of Hell. God disposeth the powers of the Heavens and Earth, he is omnipo∣tent and wise. We have sent thee to be witness of the deportments of those of thy Nation, to pro∣claim to them the joys of Paradise, and to preach to them the pains of Hell, to the end they may be∣lieve in God, and in his Prophet, that they may praise him, honour him, and exalt his glory eve∣ning and morning: Such as shall obey thee, obey God; the hand of God is stronger than the hand of men; he that shall sin, shall offend against his own soul; and he that performed what he hath promised to God, shall have an exceeding great reward. Such of the Arabians as have no inclina∣tion to follow thee, say, thou imployest our wealth and persons to go with thee, implore therefore pardon of God for us; but they speak not with the mouth, what they have in the heart; Say unto them, who but God is able to do ought for you? if it be his will to bring good or evil upon you, he is omnipotent, and knoweth all that you do. Ye believed that the Prophet and True belie∣vers should be slain when they fought for the Law of God; ye believed that they should never re∣turn to their houses. This opinion rejoiced your heart, but you were deceived, and were your selves

destroyed with them that believed not in God, nor his Prophets; God hath prepared the fire of Hell for Infidels; the Kingdom of the Heavens and Earth appertaineth to him, he punisheth and cha∣stiseth whom he listeth, he is gracious and merci∣ful. When ye shall go to the spoil, such as refu∣sed before to follow you to the fight, will say, Permit us to go with you; they would pervert the Word of God. Say unto them, Ye shall not follow us in this occasion, God hath not hereto∣fore ordained it; they will reply, Certainly ye are envious against us; on the contrary, they under∣stand not the Law of God, except very few among them. Say to the Arabians, that refused to follow thee, Ye shall be called to fight against miserable men, ye shall fight them, nevertheless they shall still be obedient to God; if ye obey and fight for the Faith, he will largely reward you; if ye desert his service, as heretofore ye have done, he shall se∣verely chastise you. The blind, the lame, and the sick, are not obliged to go to the war. He that shall obey God and his Prophet, shall dwell eter∣nally in Gardens, wherein flow many rivers; and he that shall disobey Gods Commandments, shall be punished for his disobedience. God accepted their action that repaired to thee under the tree, he knew what they had in their hearts, he con∣firmed their steps, and gave them victory, he is omnipotent and wise. God had promised you great spoil, he gave it you, and delivered you from the hands of the people; this shall serve for a sign of his omnipotency to the true believers, he will conduct you into the right way; none but you could have atchieved that conquest, he well knew that that was for none other, he is omni∣potent: if the wicked fight you, they shall fly, they shall turn the back, and find none to protect

them. Observe the Law of God against them, do as was heretofore commanded you; the Law of God admits no alteration; God hath deliver∣ed you from their hands, and delivered them in∣to yours in the midst of▪ Mecca, having given you victory over them; he beholdeth all their a∣ctions, they have despised the Commandments of his Divine Majesty, and hindred you hereto∣fore to go to the Temple of Mecca; they are at present prisoners, without the assistance of the True believers that were within the City with you; ye had not known them, ye had trampled them under foot without distinction, and had of∣fended God without knowledg of your sin. God bestoweth his mercy on whom he pleaseth; had ye been separated from the unbelievers, we had severely punished them. When they were suc∣coured of the ignorant, and had some advantage, God put his Prophet, and all the believers in a place of safety, they had recourse to the word of force and virtue, wherein they did better than the Infidels; God knoweth all. Assuredly the Dream of the Prophet of God was true, when he dreamed that ye were in the Temple of Mecca without fear, your hair shaven, and beards trim∣ed; fear nothing, God knoweth what you know not; in lieu of this Dream, he hath given you a great victory; he it is that hath sent you his Pro∣phet, to teach you his Law, more salutary than all other Laws of the world. It is sufficient, that God is witness that Mahomet is his Prophet, and Apostle; it sufficeth that the True-believers, who are with him, bear testimony. God encreaseth his mercy towards those Infidels that convert; thou shalt see them worship God, humble them∣selves before his Divine Majesty, and implore his grace; thou shalt know them by their

aspect, they shall have in their countenance the marks of their zeal; it is so written in the Old Testament and the Gospel; they are like a Plant that produceth its leaves, that grows strong by little and little, and becometh big, afterwards it taketh strength upon its roots, becometh a great Tree, and the wood thereof serveth to make war against Infidels. God hath promised his mercy, and an exceeding great reward to the Infidels that shall be converted, that shall believe in his Law, and do good works.