her), who will make his name remain as long as the world remains. In the next world, God endowed him with the power of intercession, the lofty gardens, the spring [of al-Kawthar], from which none except his friends shall drink, and all the other bless‌ ings which God bestowed on him. "So pray to your Lord and sacrifice" (Q. ١٠٨:٢) in gratitude to Him for all these blessings. The word na/:lr (sacrifice) could refer to a number of things, such as the sacrifice at Mina; the sacrificial offerings on the occa‌ sion of al-A<;IQ.a;٦ the raising of the hands to the upper part of the chest,-while pro‌ claiming the greatness of God (takbrr) during the prayers;٧ the turning toward the direction of prayer (al-qibla) while raising the hands and standing upright in prayer. All these things befit the context because they are an expression of gratitude for those blessings. God, the Glorified, says:

Lo! It is your insulter [and not you] who is without posterity (Q. ١٠٨:٣).

No name or good mention shall remain of the insulter. The outcome for those insulters was exactly what God said about them. No name or good mention remained of them in the world, not to mention the painful doom and everlasting ignominy that was their recompense in the hereafter. Is there any comparison between the lofty meanings and perfect eloquence of this blessed sura, with those inferior sentences which the writer [cited previously] exerted himself to compose? He imitates the Quran in its phraseology, and takes from Musaylima the Liar his words and style, and comes up with whatever his obstinacy, or, rather, his ignorance dictates; and with this he counters the Quran with all its greatness of eloquence and its inimitability!

NOTES

I. For a definition of this term, see note I to the authors preface to the first edition.-
Trans.
٢. Kulaynl, al-Kaft, vol. ٥, p. ٣١.
٣. Ibid., vol. ٥, p. ٣٦.
٤. This was a pamphlet published by the Anglo-American Press at Balaq, Egypt, in ١٩١٢.
٥. This is one of the verses that Musaylima produced to support his false claim to the prophethood after the death of the Prophet of Islam. The lines are, likewise, in imitation of "Surat al-Kawthar."-Trans.
٦. This is the feast of ١٠ Dhi١ al-l:lijja, marking the end of the hajj pilgrimage.-Trans.
٧. This is the proclamation allahu akbar (Greater is God).-Trans.
٣