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. L.

The Chapter of the Thing Judged, containing fourty five Verses, written at Mecca.

Mahomet hath intituled this Chapter with the Letter Kaf of the Arabique Alphabet, which signifieth in this place, Kada el’mer, that is to say, the thing judged; See Gelaldin, and Bedaoi, who have intituled this, the Chapter of Judgment, or the thing judged. Many Mahometans say likewise, that Kaf is a Mountain that environeth the world, and that Mahomet swore by that mountain.

IN the Name of God, gracious and merciful. I swear by the Alcoran, worthy of praise, that the inhabitants of Mecca wonder that a man of their Nation teacheth them the torments of hell; they say, that he speaketh strange things. What, say they, shall we die? shall we be earth, and return into the world? Behold a very strong return! we know assuredly what the earth will do with us, we have a book, wherein all is written; they impugn the known truth, and are in a great confusion: See they not heaven above them, how we have built it, how we have adorned it, and how there is no defect? We have extended the earth, raised the mountains, and caused all sorts of fruits to spring forth, for a sign of our omnipotencie. We have sent the blessed rain from heaven, made gardens to produce grain, pleasing to the reapers, and Date trees, exceeding each other in height, to enrich our creatures. We have given life to the dead, drie, and barren earth; so shall the dead come out of their sepulchres. The people of Noahs time, those that inhabited neer the Well, Temod, Pharaoh, the fellow-citizens of Lot; they that dwelt in the Forrest, and people of King Teba, did heretofore traduce our Prophets, and felt the punishment denounced against Infidels. Was it a trouble to us to create men at first? nevertheless they are in doubt if they shall rise again. We created man without difficulty,