batch.motif.islamic-koran-rodwell-gutenberg-l2020-l2251
---
record_id: batch.motif.islamic-koran-rodwell-gutenberg-l2020-l2251
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
passage_locator:
label: PUBLIC SERVICES, / AND EMINENT LITERARY ATTAINMENTS, / THE TRANSLATOR. /
PREFACE; lines 2020-2251
start: '2020'
end: '2251'
translation: The Koran (Al-Qur'an), Rodwell translation
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: 'The passage presents several short Meccan suras and notes: moral testing
through hardship, charity, belief, and right/left-handed judgment; divine defeat
of the army of the Elephant by birds hurling clay-stones; the Koreisch urged to
worship the Lord of the House who feeds and secures them; the descent of revelation
on the Night of Power with angels and spirit; oaths by the night-comer star, heaven,
earth, and human creation, with resurrection and searching of secrets; and oaths
by sun, moon, day, night, heaven, earth, and soul, ending with the Themoud rejecting
the Apostle and hamstringing the Camel of God before divine destruction.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The speaker says man was created in trouble and asks whether man thinks no
one has power over him or regards him.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Man is described as having been given eyes, tongue, lips, and guidance to
two highways.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The steep is explained as ransoming a captive, feeding during famine, supporting
an orphan near of kin or a poor person in the dust, believing, and enjoining steadfastness
and compassion.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Those who believe and act rightly are called people of the right hand, while
those who disbelieve the signs are people of the left, around whom fire closes.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:5
text: The Lord is said to have caused the army of the Elephant's stratagem to miscarry
by sending flocks of birds that hurled clay-stones upon them.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:6
text: The Koreisch are described as united in equipping winter and summer caravans
and are told to worship the Lord of this house, who fed them against hunger and
secured them against alarm.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:7
text: The Night of Power is described as better than a thousand months, during which
angels and the spirit descend by permission of their Lord, and peace lasts until
morning.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:8
text: The night-comer is identified as a star of piercing radiance, and a guardian
is said to be set over every soul.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:9
text: Man is told to reflect on being created from poured-forth germs, and God is
described as able to restore him to life on a day when secrets are searched out.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:10
text: The passage swears by cyclic heaven and the earth that opens her bosom, and
says the Koran is a discriminating discourse.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: obs:11
text: The sun, moon, day, night, heaven, earth, and soul are invoked in a series
of oaths, and the soul is described as balanced and inspired with wickedness and
piety.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: obs:12
text: The Themoud reject the message; an Apostle of God tells them to let the Camel
of God drink; they call him an impostor and hamstring the camel; their Lord then
destroys them for their crime.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: God / Lord
description: Divine figure named as God, Lord, or thy Lord; creates, guides, provides,
sends birds, causes descent, restores life, and destroys offenders.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- ev:8
- ev:11
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: man
description: Human being created in trouble, endowed with faculties, morally guided,
and subject to restoration and judgment.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:8
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: people of the right hand
description: Those associated with belief, steadfastness, compassion, and the favorable
side.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: people of the left
description: Those who disbelieve the signs and are surrounded by closing fire.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: army of the Elephant
description: An army whose stratagem is caused to miscarry and which is made like
eaten-down stubble.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: birds in flocks
description: Birds sent against the army of the Elephant, hurling clay-stones upon
them.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Koreisch
description: A group united in equipping winter and summer caravans and addressed
to worship the Lord of the house.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: angels and the spirit
description: Beings said to descend during the Night of Power by permission of their
Lord.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: guardian over every soul
description: A guardian said to be set over every soul.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: infidels
description: Opponents who plot against the addressed figure and are to be left
awhile alone.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Themoud
description: A people who reject the message, treat the Apostle as an impostor,
hamstring the Camel of God, and are destroyed.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Apostle of God
description: A messenger who tells the Themoud to let the Camel of God drink.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Camel of God
description: A camel identified as belonging to God and associated with a command
to let her drink; she is hamstrung by the Themoud.
role_refs:
- role:15
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: greatest wretch among Themoud
description: A person among the Themoud who rushes up before the warning about the
Camel of God.
role_refs:
- role:16
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
roles:
- id: role:1
label: creator and guide
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: God creates man and guides him to two highways.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: divine protector/provider
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The Lord provides food against hunger, secures against alarm, and protects
against the army of the Elephant.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: divine judge/punisher
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: God restores life for a day of searching secrets and destroys the Themoud
for their crime.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- ev:11
- id: role:4
label: morally tested human
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Man is created in trouble, guided to two highways, and urged toward the steep
of charitable and faithful acts.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: righteous group
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The people of the right hand are linked to belief, steadfastness, and compassion.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: role:6
label: condemned disbelievers
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The people of the left disbelieve the signs and are enclosed by fire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:7
label: defeated attacking force
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: The army of the Elephant has its stratagem ruined and is destroyed by birds
and clay-stones.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:8
label: divinely sent agents of defeat
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Birds in flocks are sent against the army and hurl clay-stones.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:9
label: privileged worshiping community
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The Koreisch are united in caravan trade and instructed to worship the Lord
who feeds and secures them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:10
label: descending heavenly beings
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Angels and the spirit descend during the Night of Power by permission of
their Lord.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:11
label: soul-guardian
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: A guardian is said to be set over every soul.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:12
label: plotting opponents
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: The infidels plot against the addressed figure.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: role:13
label: rejecting community
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: The Themoud reject the message and hamstring the Camel of God.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:14
label: warning messenger
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: The Apostle of God tells the Themoud to let the Camel of God drink.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:15
label: sacred animal victim
assigned_to:
- fig:13
basis: The Camel of God is singled out by the Apostle and then hamstrung.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
- id: role:16
label: impious initiator
assigned_to:
- fig:14
basis: The greatest wretch among the Themoud rushes up in the sequence preceding
the camel episode.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: soil
literal_form: soil on which the addressee dwells
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: two highways
literal_form: two highways of good and evil, according to the note
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: steep
literal_form: the steep, defined as charitable acts, belief, steadfastness, and
compassion
associated_figures:
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:4
label: right hand and left
literal_form: people of the right hand and people of the left
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:5
label: fire
literal_form: fire closing around the people of the left
associated_figures:
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:6
label: elephant army
literal_form: army of the Elephant
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:7
label: birds and clay-stones
literal_form: birds in flocks hurling clay-stones
associated_figures:
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:8
label: house
literal_form: this house worshiped in connection with the Koreisch
associated_figures:
- fig:7
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:9
label: Night of Power
literal_form: night on which revelation descends and peace lasts until morning
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:10
label: night-comer star
literal_form: star of piercing radiance
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: sym:11
label: heaven and earth
literal_form: heaven accomplishing its cycle and earth opening her bosom
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: sym:12
label: sun, moon, day, and night
literal_form: sun and noonday brightness, moon following him, day revealing his
glory, and night enshrouding him
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: sym:13
label: balanced soul
literal_form: soul balanced and inspired with wickedness and piety
associated_figures:
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: sym:14
label: Camel of God
literal_form: sacred camel commanded to be allowed to drink and then hamstrung
associated_figures:
- fig:13
- fig:12
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Moral test of the steep
summary: Human beings are described as created in trouble, endowed with faculties,
guided to two ways, and called to the steep path of ransom, feeding, belief, steadfastness,
and compassion.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Right hand, left hand, and closing fire
summary: Believers are identified with the right hand, while disbelievers are identified
with the left and are enclosed by fire.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Defeat of the army of the Elephant
summary: The Lord defeats the army of the Elephant by sending flocks of birds that
hurl clay-stones, leaving the army like eaten stubble.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:4
label: Koreisch and the Lord of the House
summary: The Koreisch are described as united in seasonal caravan activity and are
told to worship the Lord of the house, who feeds and protects them.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:5
label: Descent on the Night of Power
summary: Revelation descends on the Night of Power; angels and the spirit descend
by the Lord's permission, and peace lasts until morning.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:6
label: Night-comer, creation, and resurrection
summary: The night-comer is identified as a radiant star, every soul has a guardian,
and God is able to restore man to life for a day when secrets are searched out.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: scene:7
label: Cosmic oaths and discriminating discourse
summary: Heaven, earth, and the Koran are invoked; the Koran is described as a discriminating
discourse, and opponents are said to plot while God also plots.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:10
symbol_refs:
- sym:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- id: scene:8
label: Oaths by sun, moon, and soul
summary: A series of oaths invokes sun, moon, day, night, heaven, earth, and the
soul; the pure soul is blessed and the corrupted soul undone.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:12
- sym:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:10
- id: scene:9
label: Themoud and the Camel of God
summary: The Themoud reject the Lord's message, ignore the Apostle's warning to
let the Camel of God drink, hamstring her, and are destroyed by their Lord.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:11
- fig:12
- fig:13
- fig:14
symbol_refs:
- sym:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Moral path as difficult ascent or steep way
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The passage defines the steep as concrete acts of ransom, feeding, belief,
steadfastness, and compassion after saying man was guided to two highways.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the passage does not present a narrative
ascent, only a moralized image of a steep path.
- id: motif:2
label: Right and left division in judgment
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: The passage divides people into right-hand and left-hand groups and associates
the left-hand group with closing fire.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives a compact eschatological distinction without extended
judgment-scene details.
- id: motif:3
label: Divine defeat of hostile army through nonhuman agents
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: The Lord defeats the army of the Elephant by sending flocks of birds with
clay-stones and reducing the army to eaten stubble.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The translator's note offers a historical-medical interpretation, so legendary
elaboration should not be inferred beyond the passage.
- id: motif:4
label: Sacred house as focus of provision and protection
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The Koreisch are told to worship the Lord of this house because he provided
food against hunger and security against alarm.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: medium
cautions: No available taxonomy reference directly names sacred house or sanctuary
protection.
- id: motif:5
label: Descent of revelation and heavenly beings during a sacred night
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The passage says the revealed text descends on the Night of Power, when angels
and the spirit descend and peace lasts until morning.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy reference is general; the passage emphasizes revelation and
descent, not a human quest.
- id: motif:6
label: Restoration to life after death for disclosure of secrets
taxonomy_refs:
- resurrection
- divine_judgment
basis: God is described as able to restore man to life on a day when all secrets
are searched out and man has no helper.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The passage is doctrinal and compressed rather than a narrative of an
individual resurrection.
- id: motif:7
label: Cosmic oath validating revelation
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: Oaths by heavenly and earthly phenomena are used to affirm that the Koran
is a discriminating discourse.
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
- ev:10
confidence: medium
cautions: This is a rhetorical pattern rather than a narrative motif.
- id: motif:8
label: Sacred animal violated followed by collective destruction
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: The Themoud reject the Apostle's warning about the Camel of God, hamstring
her, and are destroyed by their Lord for the crime.
evidence_refs:
- ev:11
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not provide the fuller background of the camel episode;
extraction is limited to the stated sequence.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura XC, opening and moral endowment
quote_or_summary: The text says man was created in trouble, given eyes, tongue,
and lips, and guided to two highways; the note glosses the highways as good and
evil.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura XC, definition of the steep
quote_or_summary: The steep is defined as ransoming a captive, feeding in famine,
aiding an orphan or poor person, believing, and enjoining steadfastness and compassion.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura XC, closing verses
quote_or_summary: '"These shall be the people of the right hand"; disbelievers are
"the people of the left" and "Around them the fire shall close."'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura CV, The Elephant
quote_or_summary: The Lord makes the army of the Elephant's stratagem fail, sends
birds in flocks against them, and the birds hurl clay-stones, making the army
like eaten-down stubble.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura CVI, The Koreisch
quote_or_summary: The Koreisch are linked to union in equipping winter and summer
caravans and are told to worship the Lord of this house, who provided food and
security.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura XCVII, Power
quote_or_summary: The revealed text is said to descend on the Night of Power; angels
and the spirit descend there by the Lord's permission, and all is peace until
morning.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: quote
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura LXXXVI, night-comer identification
quote_or_summary: The night-comer is identified as "the star of piercing radiance,"
and "Over every soul is set a guardian."
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short excerpt.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura LXXXVI, creation and restoration
quote_or_summary: Man is created from poured-forth germs, and God is able to restore
him to life on a day when secrets are searched out and he has no helper.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura LXXXVI, cosmic oath and plotting
quote_or_summary: The text swears by cyclic heaven and opening earth that the Koran
is a discriminating discourse, says opponents plot, and tells the addressee to
leave the infidels awhile.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:10
type: summary
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura XCI, cosmic and soul oaths
quote_or_summary: The text swears by sun, moon, day, night, heaven, earth, and a
soul balanced and inspired with wickedness and piety; the pure soul is blessed
and the corrupted one undone.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:11
type: summary
locator: lines 2020-2251; Sura XCI, Themoud and Camel of God
quote_or_summary: Themoud reject the Lord's message; the Apostle of God says, "The
Camel of God! let her drink"; they treat him as an impostor, hamstring her, and
their Lord destroys them for their crime.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/islamic/project-gutenberg/koran-rodwell.md
rights_note: Public domain source; public-domain short phrase included within summary.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Extraction is based only on the supplied passage. Motif candidates are mostly
broad because the passage contains compact liturgical and admonitory suras rather
than extended narrative. No comparison claims were made because the passage itself
does not require a cross-tradition comparison, except for editorial notes that
are not sufficient for a motif claim here.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Initial footnotes concerning the companion of the fish appear to belong to preceding material and were not used as a scene or motif for this line-range extraction.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:islamic-koran-rodwell-gutenberg__l2020-l2251
passage_sha256=34d8779e2bd46952918be5c7e69a1565dc2fdb86a9bf53ae3ab1dbeace3e9142