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. LVIII. The Chapter of the Dispute, containing Twenty two Verses, written at Medina.

IN the Name of God, gracious and merciful. God hath heard the speech of her that disputed with thee, concerning the action of her Husband; she exhibited to him her complaints, he heareth all your discourses, he heareth and seeth all. No person among you shall swear never to touch his Wife no more than his Mother; your wives are not your mothers; your Mothers are those that conceiyed and brought you forth; they that speak in that manner, speak uncivilly, but God is gracious and merciful. He that shall have sworn to touch no more his Wife, and shall desire (afterwards) to know her, shall give liberty to a Slave, for sa∣tisfaction of his Oath, before he touch her; this is commanded you, God knoweth all your actions: if he have not the power to free a Slave, he shall fast two Months together, before touching her; if he cannot fast, he shall give to Fifty poor: Thus ought ye to do, if ye believe in God and his Pro∣phet, God so appointed it, and hath prepared great torments for them that transgress his Command∣ments. They that shall disobey him and the Pro∣phet, shall be covered with shame and ignominy, as were their Predecessors in impiety; God hath

sent his Commandments on Earth, those who shall reject them, shall be severely tormented at the day that he shall revive them, he shall declare to them all that they have done, he hath kept ac∣count, and they have forgotten it, he seeth all. Seest thou not that all that is in the Heaven and Earth is Gods? If ye be Three secretly met toge∣ther, he is the Fourth; if ye be Five, he is the Sixth; if ye be more or less, he is always with you wheresoever you are. He shall relate to men at the Day of Judgment all that they have done, he knoweth all things. Seest thou not the actions of them to whom private meetings were prohibi∣ted? They return to their sin, and do what was forbidden them; they assemble secretly with malice to conspire against thee, and to disobey thee; and when they come towards thee, they say, that thou hast spoken things that God hath not inspired thee to utter; they know in their Souls that God will chastise them for their discourse, and that they all shall go into Hell, where their Rendezvous is: Oh ye that believe! make no private meetings to offend God, to conspire against his Prophet, and to disobey him; assemble ye to perform acts of Virtue, and to serve God; have his fear before your eyes, ye shall once appear before his Divine Majesty to be judged. Private assemblies proceed from the Devil, for the affliction of the Righteous: He bringeth no evil upon them, but through God's permission; and all believers ought to re∣sign themselves to his Divine Will. O ye that be∣lieve! when ye shall be assembled with your Pro∣phet, and are entreated to inlarge your selves, in∣large ye your selves, God shall inlarge to you his grace. When ye are bid to rise, rise, God shall raise up all the True believers that are among you, and place the learned some degrees above others, he

knoweth your actions. O ye that believe! when ye shall be disposed to deliver any secret to the prophet, speak to him with truth, good shall befal you, and [he] shall purifie you: If ye fear to im∣part to him your secret, God will not give you his grace. Make your prayers at the time ap∣pointed, distribute Tithes, obey God and his Pro∣phet, God knoweth what ye do: Seest thou not them that have abandoned his Law? The wrath of his Divine Majesty is faln upon them, they are of different opinion in their lye, and know not that they lye, but he hath prepared for them a great punishment, because of their blasphemies; they have concealed their Faith, and are seduced; certainly he hath prepared for them grievous pains, their Wealth and their Children shall not be able to de∣liver them from his Indignation, they shall be pre∣cipitated into the Fire of Hell, where they shall abide eternally. Be thou mindful of the day, when he will cause them to revive; they shall swear, as they swear before thee, that they believed in his Law; they affirm they do good, and are Lyars, the Devil hath prepossessed them, and hath made them forget the word of God; such as follow him are damned. They that transgress the will of God, and that of his Prophet, are overcome of the Devil; God hath said in the Scriptures, thou shalt not obtain victory over me, neither over my Prophet, he is Omnipotent, and alway victorious; thou shalt find none of them that believe in his Law, and the Day of Judgment, that doth not exactly observe the Commandments of his Divine Majesty, and those of his Prophet, although their Fathers, their Children, their Brethren, and companions oppose them. God hath imprinted Faith in their hearts, he hath strengthened them through his Spirit, and shall cause them to enter into gardens,

wherein flow many Rivers, where they shall abide eternally: He shall be satisfied with their obedi∣ence, and they shall be content with his grace. Such as shall obey his Commandments shall be happy.