Alexander Ross, 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. (1649)

CHAP. VII.

The Chapter of Prisons, containing an hundred and six Verses, written at Mecca.

Reader, Mahomet entituled this Chapter, the Chapter of Aaraf, which is a place between Paradise and Hell, where men suffer no punishment. See Mokari, Bedaoi, and Kitab el tenoir.

IN the name of God, gracious and merciful: I am God, the most wise, the most true. This Book was sent to thee, to preach to the True believers; doubt not the Contents of it. Say unto them, Believe in what was sent to you from your Lord, and worship none other God but him; few there be among you that consider it. How many Cities have we destroyed? How often have we inflicted our punishment on their Inhabitants by day, and by night, when they reposed? Nevertheless, they said nothing, but that they were greatly afflicted. We will examine the people to whom we have sent our Prophets, and require account of what they have learned, and of what they have done. We will examine our Prophets, and demand an account of such as have followed, and obeyed them. I will cause them to remember what they have done worthy of reward. We forsook not our Prophets when they preached to them the Truth; their actions shall be weighed in the ballance of equity; the ballance of the blessed shall be ponderous with good works; and they whose ballance shall be light of good works, shall be damned, for having contemned our Commandments. We gave you your habitation on the Earth, and there bestowed on you what was necessary for your nourishment; but few of you are grateful to me. We created and formed you, and commanded the Angels to worship