recite what God has revealed to thee His Prophet, and be not afraid.
Consider not the opposition of Abu Gahl, who has threatened to put his
foot on thy neck if thou dost worship Allah. (96.)

_DENUNCIATION OF ABU LAHAB_[16]

Abu Lahab's two hands shall perish, and he himself shall perish. His
wealth shall not avail him, nor all that he has gained. He shall be
burnt in the fiery flames[17] of Hell, his wife carrying wood for fuel,
with a cord of palm-tree fibres twisted round her neck. (III.)

_MUHAMMAD COMMANDED TO OFFER SACRIFICES_

We have given to thee, O Prophet, great wealth and abounding riches.
Pray thou to Allah, and offer Him suitable sacrifices out of what He has
bestowed upon thee. (108.)

[Compare with this paragraph the following, from sura 22 of the Medinah
group:

We have ordained that ye offer sacrifices unto Allah, and that ye
receive much benefit therefrom. When, therefore, ye slay your camels let
the name of Allah be pronounced over them. Then eat of them and give to
those who ask humbly, giving also to the poor and needy who ask not.
Flesh and blood can never reach unto Allah (God), but your obedience and
piety will reach unto Him.]

_BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS_

We will make the path to happiness easy and safe to all such as fear
Allah, and give alms, and believe the truth proclaimed by Allah's
messenger. But we will make easy the path to distress and misery for all
such as are niggardly, are bent on making riches, and deny the truth
when it is proclaimed to them. When these last fall headlong into Hell,
their wealth will avail them nothing. In the burning furnace they shall
burn and broil. (92.)

_THE DUTY OF EXERCISING CHARITY_

Verily, We (God) have created some men in such poverty and distress as
to need the help of others. What does that braggart man mean when he
says, "None shall prevail over me; I have and have scattered riches
boundless"? Does he not know that there is a Divine eye that sees him?
Have not We created him with a capacity of distinguishing between the
two highways, that which descends towards evil, and that which ascends
towards the good? This niggardly man, however, makes no attempt to scale
the heights. What is it to ascend the upward road? It is to free the
prisoner, to feed the hungry, to defend the orphan who is akin, and the
down-trodden poor. Besides this, it is enjoined that men believe in
Allah and His Prophet; that they encourage each other