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)

pleasant. When the Sun arose, he cast his rayes on the right side of their Cave, and on the left, at his going down; they in the mean time were in the most spacious place of this Cave. This is one of Gods miracles; he whom he guideth, is well guided; and whom he misleadeth, shall finde none to give him succor, or to guide him. Believe ye that they should be awake? Assuredly they slept and turned themselves, sometimes to one side, sometimes to another: Consider how their Dog extended his feet before that old habitation of stone; if any one had entred towards them, he would have caused them to flie, & had affrighted them. In the end we awaked them, and they mutually enquired of each other in what place they were, & how long they had there continued; one of them replyed, That they had been there a day or two; then they all said, God knoweth the time that we have abode here, send one of us to the City with money to buy bread and meat; let him not be fearful, neither make himself known to any; if we be known, they will murther or constrain us to follow their Religion, in which we shall be eternally miserable. Thus did we stir up the people against them, to the end they might know that thy Lord is true; when he said, He will cause the dead to arise again, the Resurrection is indubitable; nevertheless unbelievers dispute among them, concerning the History of the Sleepers, and say, That they built a secret place to retire themselves. God knoweth the Truth. The True-believers believe that they made no building; the Infidels say they were five, and that their dog was the sixth, they speak by opinion; but the Truebelievers affirm them to be seven, and their dog to be the eighth. Say unto them, My Lord knoweth how many they were: few persons, except God, know their number: Doubt no more the History of the Sleepers, the matter is averred and known: dispute no more with the Jews, and say not, I will do this to morrow, without saying, If it please God. Call God to minde, after thou hast forgot him, and say, The Lord shall guide me, and teach me the History of the Sleepers, who remained in Cave three hundred years: there be who affirm they continued there nine hundred years. Say unto them, God

See Gelaldin.

N 2

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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., London, Printed, Anno Dom., Consulted online at “Quran Archive - Texts and Studies on the Quran” on 29 Mar. 2024: http://quran-archive.org/explorer/alexander-ross/1649?page=201