The Alcoran of Mahomet, translated out of Arabique into French; by the sieur Du Ryer, Lord of Malezair, and resident for the King of France, at Alexandria. And newly Englished, for the satisfaction of all that desire to look into the Turkish vanities

CHAP. XVII. The Chapter of the Voyage by night, containing an hundred and eleven verses, written at Mecca.

Reader, The Turks believe that this night of the Voyage Mahomet ascended into Heaven with the Angel Gabriel: he was mounted on a white Burac, which is a beast partly Mule, partly Asse, and partly Horse. He saw all the Prophets that pre∣ceded him, all the wonders of Paradise, and saw God, who sate on his Throne. See Kitab el tenoir, Tesfiir anf Giauhoir, and the exposition of Gelaldin. The Bedaoi intituleth this Chapter the Chapter of the Children of Israel.

IN the Name of God, gracious and mercifull. Praise be to him, that caused his servant to goe in one night from the Temple of Mecca, to the Temple of Jerusalem; wee have blessed that Temple, and whatsoever is about it, in token of our omnipotency. We gave to Moses the Old Te∣stament, to instruct the Children of Israel, and to deterr them from the worship of any other God, but of me; to forbid them to adore the lineage of Noah, or the lineage of them that we preserved in his Ark.* 1.1 Noah is my crea∣ture, and my servant, acknowledging my benefits; wee prohibited in Scripture the children of Israel, to defile twice the Earth, left they kindled too great a fire; when that befell you,* 1.2 we stirred up our servants against you, and they entered by force into the midst of your houses; this was as soon executed as promised. In the end, we gave you advantage over your enemies; we gave you wealth, and children to succor you, and ye were more numerous then the Infidels; the good and the evill that you shall doe, shall be for your souls. We stirred up the wicked a∣gainst you, because of your sins, to afflict you through the murther, and bondage of your persons; and they destroy∣ed the Temple of Jerusalem, as they had ruined it the first time. Your Lord shall pardon you, if you convert, we have established Hell for a perpetuall prison of Infidels. The Alcoran guideth the righteous into the right way, it declareth to them a great reward, preacheth to the wic∣ked the torments of Hell; and exhorteth men to wel∣doing, although they are inclining to evill, and prompt to sin. We created the day and the night, they are two signes of our omnipotency: we caused the night to passe away, and the day to appeare for labor; and to the end ye might know number of ages, of months, and of yeares: wee explained our mysteries without obscuri∣ty, and have enjoyned every one to beare the bur∣den of his iniquities at the day of judgement; that day will we make men to see the accompt of their sins, they shall be recompen••ed and chastised accor∣ding to the good and evill that they shall have committed, and none shall beare burden of his neigh∣bor:

we sent to the people Prophets and Apostles to preach to them our Commandements, before they were chasti∣sed, before the destruction of a City: we advert••sed the principall inhabitants thereof; when they disobeyed us, we chastised them according to our word, and destroyed them. How many Cities have we ruined since Noahs flood? The sins of the people and knowne to their Lord; he gi∣veth the riches of this world to them that desire them, to cause them to fall head-long into Hell, where they shall repent of their iniquities, and be deprived of mercy. He who shall labor to acquire the riches of Heaven, shall be protected of thy Lord in this world, and enriched with the Treasures of Heaven in the other. Consider, how we prefer our Creatures one to another▪ the reward of Hea∣ven is much greater then that of the Earth. Believe not that there be two Gods, otherwise you shall repent of it, and be deprived of protection at the day of judgement. Thy Lord hath ordained to worship him alone, and to honour your father and mother, especially in their old age, and say nothing to them that may afflict them, nei∣ther vex them; speak to them with respect, doe not con∣temne them, pray to God to compassionate them, as they pittied, when they brought you up in your infancy. God knoweth whatsoever is in your souls; he will be mercifull to you, if ye obey him. Give to your parents what ap∣pertaineth to them, doe good to the poore, and to pil∣grims, be not prodigall, the prodigall are brethren of the Devill, ingratefull for the favors of their Lord. Con∣temne not the poore, if ye desire to obtain the mercy of God, speak to them with mildnesse, and endeavour to content them; doe not entirely shut your hands, neither altogether extend them; if yee doe otherwise, yee shall offend. Thy Lord giveth, and taketh away his graces, as seemeth good to him; hee knoweth his people, and understandeth all their actions. Slay not your children for feare of necessity, I will give whatso∣ever shall be necessary for them; the murther of chil∣dren is an exceeding great sin, flie whoredom, it is a thing uncleane, kill no man without reason; we have com∣manded

to pursue him that shal have slain his neighbour, but let not the heir sin maliciously, prosecuting the inno∣cent for the guilty. The innocent is in Gods protecti∣on: take not the goods of Orphans, and be carefull of them, untill they be in yeers of discretion; satifie your promises, an accompt shall be required of you; measure with good measure, and weigh with just weights. Busie your selves not with that which you ought not to know. There shall be required of you an accompt of the sins ye have committed, in seeing, hearing, and thinking. Be not proud, ye shall never be so long as the Earth, neither so high as the Mountains; such sins are exceeding great before thy Lord: It is one part of what he hath inspired into thee, to preach to his people: Say not, there be two Gods, left thou be confined to the fire of Hell. Your Lord hath elected you, with all those men and women that o∣bey his Commandements, for his sons and daughters, as the Angels; yet say not that God hath children. We made mention in the Alcoran of whatsoever is necessary to be preached to the people; say unto them, If there be a God with God, as ye affirme, invok him that hath his Throne in Heaven; praised be God, he hath no Companion, he is most high and great. The seven Heavens praise him, and all that is in Earth glorifie him, but ye comprehend it not, he is gracious and mercifull, We will separate thee from the wicked; we will harden their hearts, and stop their ears. When thou shalt read the Alcoran, and say, There is but one God, they will turne the back, and deride thee, I know what they desire to heare; they would have the people to hearken to the words of the unjust, who say, That thou art a Sorcerer, and a Magician; con∣sider to whom they compare thee; they certainly are in error, and are not able to find the right way. What! we are (say they) bones and flesh, shall we rise againe, and become new Creatures? who shall cause us to rise again? Say unto them, Although ye be stone, iron, bones, and flesh, he who first created you, shall raise you a∣gaine. They shall shake the head at thee, and ask of thee. In what time they shall rise againe? say unto them, Per∣adventure

it shall be suddenly. When ye shall be called out of the graves by the Commandement of God, ye will believe that ye have remained but very little time in the world; then shall the Infidels confesse, that the Devill hath deceived them, and that he is their open enemy. Your Lord knoweth you all, he will pardon, or chastise you, as seemeth good to him: We have not sent thee to be their guardian; thy Lord knoweth whatsoever is in Heaven and in Earth. Certainly, we gave graces to some Pro∣phets, which we gave not to others; and we gave the Psalter to David; Say unto the Infidels, invoke the Idols which you adore, and see if they are of power to deliver you from affliction. They that implore God, desire to be nigh unto him; who are they that shall neerest approach his divine Majesty they who hope in his mercy, or such as feare his punishment? Certainly his punishment ought most to be feared. We will destroy all the Cities of the world before the day of Judgement, and chastise the wic∣ked with rigorous torments; this is written upon the Ta∣bles kept in heaven; nothing hath hindred us to manifest the miracles which the inhabitants of Mecca desire to see, but the contempt shewed by their predecessors. Tenod saw the miracles of the Camell, and contemned it; I will no more shew miracles, but to make the people to ap∣prehend the torments of hell. Remember thou, that we have said to thee, that thy Lord knoweth all that the world doth; that which we gave thee to see (in the voy∣age by night) is to prove the people as the cursed tree,* 1.3 which is spoken of in the Alcoran; there be persons that will believe it, others that will not believe; but I will trie them to augment their confusion: Remember thou, that we commanded the Angels to humble themselves before Adam, and that they did humble themselves, except the devill; who said, shall I adore him whom thou hast created of the earth? who is he whom thou hast preferred to me? Certainly, if thou tarry untill the day of Judgement, I will destroy his race, except that small number that shall be under thy protection. Thy Lord said unto him, get thee hence, hell shall be thy punishment, and

the punishment of them that shall follow thee; deceive by thy speeches them whom thou shalt be able to deceive, seduce whom thou canst seduce with the wealth of the earth, cause them to exercise Usury, and commit the sin of whoredome; tell them, there is neither Resurrection nor Judgement; whatsoever thou shalt promise them shall be but vanity and falshood; thou shalt have no power over them that shall worship me, I will protect them a∣gainst thee. It is your Lord, who causeth the ship to tra∣vell upon the waters, for the advantage of traffique; when the tempest chargeth you, your Idols forsake you, he a∣lone is able to protect you, neverthelesse when he hath caused you to arrive at the Port, you deny his Unity, and follow your impiety; believe ye that he will another time make the sea calm to you? and that he will send you a favourable wind, if you doe not acknowledge him your protector; Believe ye to returne againe to the sea? He shall send you an impetuous wind, that shall overwhelme you, with your impietie, and ye shall find none to protect you against him. We have conferred on men many fa∣vours, we have ••onducted them on th•• earth, and sea, en∣riched with all sorts of riches, and gratified them above all creatures of the earth; preach to them the day where∣in I will assemble before me all the Nations of the world, with the Prophet that shall have preached to them. He to whom shall be given the Book of the Accompt of his works in his right hand, shall read his accompt entire∣ly, no injustice shall be done to him, and he shall be hap∣py. He that shall be blind in this world, shall be so in the other, and shall not see the right way. They would divert thee from performing what we have inspired into thee, to induce thee to blaspheme against me. If thou do it, thou shalt be of their friends; were it not for the strength that we have given thee, they would make thee to incline to their impiety, hadst thou done it, we had given thee to taste of great afflictions in this world, & in the other; thou hadst found none to protect thee against us; it wanted not much, but they had affrighted thee at Medina, to cause thee to go out of it; had they driven thee thence, they had not conti∣nued

there long after thee. We heretofore sent our Prophets to instruct the people in our Law, thou shall find there∣in nothing to change; make thy prayers when the Sun shall set, at the beginning, and at the end of the night, and at the dawning of day, the Angels shall be witnes∣ses of thine orisons; spend one part of the night in pray∣er, this shall be an augmentation of merit, thy Lord shall establish thee in the place of his glory: Say, Lord, into whatsoever place I goe, make me to enter, and goe forth with truth, give me thy protection; Say,* 1.4 that truth is come, and that vanity is vanished; this Book shall heal the people of their error, it shall bring them into the way of mercy, and encrease the misery of unbelievers. We have exhorted men to abandon their impiety, they have not done it, and despaired when they were touched with affliction; Say unto them, each of us doth after his will, and God knoweth him that followeth the right way; they shall demand of thee concerning the Soul: Say unto them, the soul is an effect of God, he hath given you ve∣ry little knowledge; assuredly, had it so pleased him, he could have deprived you of the knowledge he hath given you, you shall find nothing that is able to protect you but his mercy? Say unto them, if the devils, and men were all assembled against me, they should not be able to com∣pose a Book like the Alcoran. We have taught in the Al∣coran whatsoever is necessary for the salvation of men, neverthelesse the greatest part of the people depart from the Truth, and say, we will not believe thee, unlesse thou cause fountains to spring out of the earth, and make in this place a garden, beautified with Date trees, and Vines, with rivers flowing in the midst, or unlesse we see, descend from heaven a part of the pains which thou preachest; we will not believe thee, unlesse God and the Angels come to thy assistance, unlesse thy house be of fine gold, and that we see the Book of Truth sent from heaven; we will not believe in thy Parchment, unlesse we see descend from heaven a Book which we may be able to read: Say unto them, praised be my Lord, am I any thing but a man sent from him? what hindreth men to believe,

since there hath been sent to them a Pilot to conduct them into the way of salvation? They say, that thou art a man, and not an Angel: Say unto them, should the Angels have inhabited the Earth, God would have sent an An∣gel to instruct them, it sufficeth that he is the witnesse of mine actions between you, and me, he knoweth and seeth all things; he whom God guideth, is well guided, and such as God shall cause to erre, shall find none to put them into the right way; he will assemble all of them at the day of Judgement, they shall be infamous, deaf, mute, and blind, and condemned to the flames of hell, because they are wicked, and have said through derision, that they are bones, and flesh, and that they shall rise a∣gaine as new creatures; see they not that God hath crea∣ted heaven, and earth? that he can create yet more, and hath established a destiny indubitable, and infallible? The unbelievers are exceedingly too blame: Say unto them, should you possesse all the treasures of the world, yet would ye feare to make expence for the service of God; man is too avaricious; we gave to Moses nine marks of our Omnipotency, known to the children of Israel; Pha∣roah told him that he was a Magician;* 1.5 assuredly, said Moses, these signs and miracles that thou seest, proceed from God, Lord of heaven and earth; I believe, Oh Pharoah! that thou forsakest the Truth: Then would Pharoah have driven him out of Egypt, but we drowned all those that were with him, and commanded the children of Israel to inhabit the land; we will assemble them at the end of the world, to reward them after their works: We have indeed sent thee the Alcoran from heaven, to proclaime the joys of Paradise, and to preach the torments of hell; we have sent it, to the end thou maist teach it to the people; we have sent it clear, and intelligible, that it may be under∣stood, according to occurences. Say unto them, believe, or b••l••eve it not when, those that have knowledge in the writ∣ten Law heard it read, they prostrated themselves on the ground with humility, and said, praised be God, what he promiseth, is infallible, and incontinently is his command executed; they wept, prostrating the face towards the earth,

and the reading of the Alcoran augmented their devotion; Say unto them, implore God, call God mercifull, all his Attributes are most glorious. Make it not appear to the world how often thou shalt pray, neither how often thou shalt read the Alcoran, and fear not to pray to God, and to read (the Alcoran) follow in this the middle path, and say, praised be God, he hath no Son, he hath no compa∣nion, neither protector to preserve him from contempt, his greatness is perfect and compleat.

Notes

• * 1.1

  To quit their saith, and return to it of••en.
• * 1.2

  See Kitab el tenoir.
• * 1.3

  See Gelal∣din.
• * 1.4

  See Gelal∣din.
• * 1.5

  His hand, his staffe, the deluge, grashop∣pers, lice, frogs, blood, fear, and fa∣mine. See Be∣daoi.