they had said, Verily we are a temptation, therefore be not an unbeliever. So men learned from those two a charm by which they might cause division between a man and his wife;* but they hurt none thereby, unless by GOD'S permission, and they learned that which would hurt them, and not profit them; and yet they knew that he who bought that art should have no part in the life to come, and woful is the price for which they have sold their souls, if they knew it. But if they had believed, and feared God, verily the reward they would have had from God would have been better, if they had known it. O true believers, say not to our apostle, Raina; but say Ondhorna; and hearken: the infidels shall suffer a grievous punishment. It is not the desire of the unbelievers, either among those unto whom the scriptures have been given, or among the idolaters, that any good should be sent down unto you from your LORD: but GOD will appropriate his mercy anto whom he pleaseth; for God is exceeding beneficent. Whatever verse we shall abrogate, or cause thee to forget, we will bring a better than it, or one like unto it. Dost thou not know that God is almighty? Dost thou not know that unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth? neither have ye any protector or helper except GOD. Will ye require of your apostle according to that which was formerly required of Moses ? but he that hath exchanged faith for infidelity, hath already erred from the straight way. Many of those unto whom the scriptures have been given, desire to render you again unbelievers, after ye have believed; out of envy from their souls, even after the truth is become manifest unto them; but forgive them, and avoid them, till GoD shall send his command; for God is omnipotent. Be constant in prayer, and give alms; and what good ye have sent before for your souls, ye shall find it with GOD; surely GoD seeth that which ye do. They say, Verily none shall enter paradise, except they who are Jews or Christians: this is their wish. Say, Produce your proof of against her husband, (though others say she was a real woman.) As soon as they saw her, they fell in love with her, and endeavoured to prevail on her to satisfy their desires; but she flew up again to heaven, whither the two angels also returned, but were not admitted. However on the intercession of a certain pious man, they were allowed to choose whether they would be punished in this life, or in the other; whereupon they chose the former, and now suffer punishment accordingly in Babel, where they are to remain till the day of judgment. They add that if a man has a fancy to learn magic, he may go to them, and hear their voice, but cannot see them."

This story Mohammed took directly from the Persian Magi, who mention two rebellious angels of the same names, now hung up by the feet with their heads downwards, in the territory of Babel. And the Jews have something like this, of the angel Shamhozai, who having debauched himself with women, repented, and by way of penance, hung himself up between heaven and earth.'

"They taught the difference between man and woman."-Savary.

Those two Arabic words have both the same signification, viz. Look on us; and are a kind of salutation. Mohammed had a great aversion to the first, because the Jews fre quently used it in derision, it being a word of reproach in their tongue. They alluded, it seems, to the Hebrew verb y ruá, which signifies to be bad or mischievous. Namely, to see God manifestly.

This passage was revealed on occasion of a dispute which Mohammed had with the Jews of Medina, and the Christians of Najrân, each of them asserting that those of their religion only should be saved.'

Yahya, &c. •Jallalo'dain.

Vide Hyde, ubi sup. cap. 12.
See before p. 9. i Jallalo'ddin.

"Bereshit rabbah, in Genes. vì 2

this, if ye speak truth. Nay, but he who resigneth himself to GoD, and doth that which is right," he shall have his reward with his LORD: there shall come no fear on them, neither shall they be grieved. The Jews say, The Christians are grounded on nothing; and the Christians say, The Jews are grounded on nothing; yet they both read the scriptures. So likewise say they who know not the scripture, according to their saying. But GoD shall judge between them on the day of the resurrection, concerning that about which they now disagree. Who is more unjust than he who prohibiteth he temples of GOD, that his name should be remembered therein, and who hasteth to destroy them? Those men cannot enter therein, but with fear: they shall have shame in this world, and in the next a grievous punishment. To GOD belongeth the east and the west; therefore whithersoever ye turn yourselves to pray, there is the face of GoD; for GoD is omnipresent and omniscient. They say, God hath begotten children: GOD forbid! To him belongeth whatever is in heaven, and on earth; all is possessed by him, the Creator of heaven and earth; and when he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, Be, and it is. And they who know not the scriptures say, Unless God speak unto us, or thou show us a sign, we will not believe. So said those before them, according to their saying: their hearts resemble each other. We have already shown manifest signs unto people who firmly believe; we have sent thee in truth, a bearer of good tidings and a preacher; and thou shalt not be questioned concerning the companions of hell. But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of GoD is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no patron or protector against GoD. They to whom we have given the book of the Koran, and who read it with its true reading, they believe therein; and whoever believeth not therein, they shall perish. O children of Israel, remember my favour wherewith I have favoured you, and that I have preferred you before all nations; and dread the day wherein one soul shall not make satisfaction for another soul, neither shall any compensation be accepted from them, nor shall any intercession avail, neither shall they be helped. Remember when the LORD tried Abraham by certain words, which he

Literally, resigneth his face, &c.

That is, asserteth the unity of God.

The Jews and Christians are here accused of denying the truth of each other's religion, notwithstanding they read the scriptures. Whereas the Pentateuch bears testimony to Jesus, and the gospel bears testimony to Moses.'

"Or hindereth men from paying their adorations to God in those sacred places. This passage, says Jallalo'ddin, was revealed on news being brought, that the Romans had spoiled the temple of Jerusalem; or else when the idolatrous Arabs obstructed Mohammed's visiting the temple of Mecca, in the expedition of al Hodeibiya, which happened in the sixth year of the Hejra.

This is spoken not only of the Christians, and of the Jews (for they are accused of olding Ozair, or Ezra, to be the son of God), but also the pagan Arabs, who imagined the angels to be daughters of God.

God tried Abraham chiefly by commanding him to leave his native country, and to offe his son. But the commentators suppose the trial here meant related only to some particula • Jallalo'ddin, ' Idem. • Vide Abu'lfeda Vit. Moham. p. 84, &c.

h

fulfilled: GoD said, Verily I will constitute thee a model of religions* unto mankind; he answered, And also of my posterity; GoD said, My covenant doth not comprehend the ungodly. And when we appointed .he holy house of Mecca to be a place of resort for mankind, and a place of security; and said, Take the station of Abraham for a place of prayer; and we covenanted with Abraham and Ismael, that they should cleanse my house for those who should compass it, and those who should be devoutly assiduous there, and those who should bow down and worship. And when Abraham said, LORD make this a territory of security, and bounteously bestow fruits on its inhabitants, such of them as believe in God and the last day; GoD answered, And whoever believeth not, I will bestow on him little ; afterwards I will drive him to the punishment of hell fire; an ill journey shall it be! And when Abraham and Ismael raised the foundations of the house, saying, LORD, accept it from us, for thou art he who heareth and knoweth: LORD, make us also resigned unto thee, and of our posterity a people resigned unto thee, and show us our holy ceremonies, and be turned unto us, for thou art easy to be reconciled, and merciful: LORD, send them likewise an apostle from among them, who may declare thy signs unto thein, and teach them the book of the Koran and wisdom, and may purify them; for thou art mighty and wise. Who will be averse to the religion of Abraham, but he whose mind is infatuated? Surely we have chosen him in this world, and in that which is to come he shall be one of the righteous. When his LORD said unto him, Resign thyself unto me; he answered, I have resigned myself unto the LORD of all creatures. And Abraham bequeathed this religion to his children, and Jacob did the same, saying, My children, verily God hath chosen this religion for you, therefore die not, unless ye also be resigned. Were ye present when Jacob was at the point of death? when ceremonies, such as circumcision, pilgrimage to the Caaba, several rites of purification, and the like."

I have rather expressed the meaning, than truly translated the Arabic word Imâm, which answers to the Latin Antistes. This title the Mohammedans give to their priests, who begin the prayers in their Mosques, and whom all the congregation follow.

"I will establish thee the leader of the people."-Savary.

That is, the Caaba, which is usually called by way of eminence, the House. Of the sanctity of this building and other particulars relating to it, see the Preliminary Discourse,

sect. IV.

A place so called within the inner enclosure of the Caaba, where they pretend to show the print of his foot in a stone.1

"Purify my temple from the idols which are around it, and from those which are within it, and from their worshippers."-Suvary.

"I will extend, replied the Lord, my gifts even to the unbelievers, but they shall enjoy little. They shall be condemned to the flames, and deplorable shall be their end." -Savary,

The Arabic word is Moslemûna, in the singular Moslem, which the Mohammedans take as a title peculiar to themselves. The Europeans generally write and pronounce is Musulman.

The descendants of Abraham and of Ishmael lost the belief of an only God. They still reverenced the temple of Mecca as the work of those two patriarchs, but around it and within it they had placed idols, to which they paid divine worship. Mahomet overthrew them, and restored the worship of the only true God.-Savary.

he said to his sons, Whom will ye worship after me? They answered, We will worship thy God, and the GoD of tny fathers Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, one GoD, and to him will we be resigned. That poopie are now passed away, they have what they have gained', and ye shall have what ye gain; and ye shall not be questioned concerning that which they have done. They say, Become Jews or Christians that ye may be directed. Say, Nay, we follow the religion of Abraham the orthodox, who was no idola. ter. Say, We believe in GoD, and that which hath been sent down unto us, and that which hath been sent down unto Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which was delivered unto Moses, and Jesus, and that which was delivered unto the prophets from their LORD: We make no distinction between any of them, and to GoD are we resigned. Now if they believe according to what ye believe, they are surely directed, but if they turn back, they are in schism. GoD shall support thee against them, for he is in the hearer, the wise. The baptism of GoDm have we received, and who is better than GoD to baptize? him do we worship. Say, Will ye dispute with us concerning GoD, who is our LORD, and your LORD? we have our works, and ye have your works, and unto him are we sincerely devoted. Will ye say, truly Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes were Jews or Christians? Say, are ye wiser, or GOD? And who is more unjust than he who hideth the testimony which he hath received from GOD? But God is not regardless of that which ye do. That people are passed away, they have what they have gained, and ye shall have what ye gain, nor shall ye be questioned concerning that which they have done. [*II.] The foolish men will say, What hath turned them from their Keblah, towards which they formerly prayed? Say unto God belongeth the east and the west: he directeth whom he pleaseth into the right way. Thus have we placed you, O Arabians, an

'Or deserved. The Mohammedan notion, as to the imputation of moral actions to man, which they call gain, or acquisition, is sufficiently explained in the Preliminary Discourse.

By baptism is to be understood the religion which God instituted in the beginning; because the signs of it appear in the person who professes it, as the signs of water appear in the clothes of him that is baptized.3

These words were revealed, because the Jews insisted, that they first received the scriptures, that their Keblah was more ancient, and that no prophets could arise among the Arabs; and therefore if Mohammed was a prophet, he must have been of their nation. The Jews are again accused of corrupting and suppressing the prophecies in the Pen. tateuch relating to Mohammed.

At first, Mohammed and his followers observed no particular rite in turning their faces towards any certain place, or quarter of the world, when they prayed; it being declared to be perfectly indifferent. Afterwards, when the prophet fled to Medina, he directed them to turn towards the temple of Jerusalem (probably to ingratiate himself with the Jews,) which continued to be their Keblah for six or seven months; but either finding the Jews too intractable, or despairing otherwise to gain the pagan Arabs, who could not forget their respect to the temple of Mecca, he ordered that prayers for the future should be towards the last. This change was made in the second year of the Hejra, and occasioned many to fall from him, taking offence at his inconstancy."

This seems to be the sense of the words; though the commentators will have the .neaning to be, that the Arabians are here declared to be a most just and good nation. 'Jallalo'ddin. •Idem

See before p. 15. Vide Abulf. Vit. Moham. p. 54
Jallalo'ddin, Yahya, &c.

'Jallalo'ddin.

in ermediate nation, that ye may be witness against the rest of mankind, and that the apostle may be a witness against you. We appointed the Keblah towards which thou didst formerly pray, only that we might know him who followeth the apostle, from him who turneth back on the heels ;' though this change seem a great matter, unless unto those whom God hath directed. But Gon will not render your faith of none effect; for God is gracious and merciful unto man. We have seen thee turn about thy face towards heaven with uncertainty, but we will cause thee to turn thyself towards a Keblah that will please thee. Turn, therefore, thy face towards the holy temple of Mecca; and wherever ye be, turn your faces towards that place. They to whom the scripture hath been given, know this to be truth from their LORD. God is not regardless of that which ye do. Verily although thou shouldest show unto those to whom the scripture hath been given all kinds of signs, yet they will not follow thy Keblah, neither shalt thou follow their Keblah; nor will one part of them follow the Keblah of the other. And if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, verily thou wilt become one of the ungodly. They to whom we have given the scripture know our apostle, even as they know their own children; but some of them hide the truth, against their own knowledge. Truth is from thy LORD, therefore thou shalt not doubt. Every sect hath a certain tract of heaven to which they turn themselves in prayer; but do ye strive to run after good things; wherever ye be, GoD will bring you all back at the resurrection, for God is almighty. And from what place soever thou comest forth, turn thy face towards the holy temple for this is truth from thy LORD; neither is God regardless of that which ye do. From what place soever thou comest forth, turn thy face towards the holy temple; and wherever ye be, thitherward turn your faces, lest men have matter of dispute against you; but as for those among them who are unjust doers, fear them not, but fear me, that I may accomplish my grace upon you, and that ye may be directed. As we have sent unto you an apostle from among you,t to rehearse our signs unto you, and to purify you, and to teach you the book of the Korán and wisdom, and to teach you that which ye knew not: therefore remember me, and I will remember you, and give thanks unto me, and be not unbelievers. O true believers, beg assistance with patience and prayer, for God is with the patient. And say not of those who are slain in fight for the religion of GOD," that they are dead; yea, they are living: but ye do not understand. We will surely prove you by afflicting you in some measure with fear, and hunger, and

We have established you, O chosen people, to bear witness against the rest of the nation, as your apostle will bear it against you."-Savary.

i. e. Returneth to Judaism.

Or will not suffer it to go without its reward, while ye prayed towards Jerusalem. That is, of your own nation.

The original words are literally, who are slain in the way of God; by which expression, frequently occurring in the Korân, is always meant war undertaken against unbelievers for the propagation of the Mohammedan faith.

The souls of martyrs (for such they esteem those who die in battle against infidels) says Jallalo'ddin, are in the crops of green birds, which have liberty to fly wherever they please in paradise, and feed on the fruits thereof.