Page images
PDF
EPUB

CHAPTER CXI.

INTITLED, ABU LAHEB; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

His

He shall

THE hands of Abu Laheb shall perish, and he shall perish. riches shall not profit him, neither that which he hath gained. go down to be burned into flaming fire; and his wife also, bearing wood, having on her neck a cord of twisted fibres of a palm-tree.

CHAPTER CXII.

INTITLED, THE DECLARATION OF GOD'S UNITY; WHERE IT WAS REVEALED IS DISPUTED.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

SAY, God is one God; the eternal GOD: hé begetteth not, neither is he oegotten: and there is not any one like unto him.

Abu Laheb was the surname of Abd'al Uzza, one of the sons of Abd'almotalleb, and uncle to Mohammed. He was a most bitter enemy to his nephew, and opposed the establishment of his new religion to the utmost of his power. When that prophet, in obedience to the command he had received to admonish his relations, had called them all together, and told them that he was a warner sent unto them before a grievous chastisement, Abu Laheb cried out, Mayest thou perish! hast thou called us together for this? and took up a stone to cast at him. Whereupon this passage was revealed.'

By the hands of Abu Laheb some commentators, by a synecdoche, understand his person; others, by a metonymy, his affairs in general, they being transacted with those members; or his hopes in this world, and the next.

He died of grief and vexation at the defeat his friends had received at Bedr, surviving that misfortune but seven days. They add, that his corpse was left above ground three days, till it stank, and then some negroes were hired to bury him.a

B

* "The power of Abu Laheb hath vanished. He himself hath perished."-Savary.

And accordingly his great possessions, and the rank and esteem in which he lived at Mecca, were of no service to him, nor could protect him against the vengeance of God Al Beidâwi mentions also the loss of his son Otba, who was torn to pieces by a lion, in the way to Syria, though surrounded by the whole caravan.

[ocr errors]

Arab. når dhâ: laheb; alluding to the surname of Abu Laheb, which signifies the father of flames.

▸ Her name was Omm Jemîl; she was the daughter of Harb, and sister of Abu Sofiân. For fuel in hell; because she fomented the hatred which her husband bore to Mohammed; or, bearing a bundle of thorns and brambles, because she carried such, and strewed them by night in the prophet's way."

This chapter is held in particular veneration by the Mohammedans, and declared, by a tradition of their prophet, to be equal in value to a third part of the whole Koran. It is said to have been revealed in answer to the Koreish, who asked Mohammed concerning the distinguishing attributes of the God he invited them to worship.

See the Prelim. Disc. sect. 2, p. 31. Vit. Mohammed, p. 57. 2 Al Beidâwi.

Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin, &c. 1 Abulf
Idem, Jallalo'ddin.
⚫lidem.

CHAPTER CXIII.

INTITLED, THE DAY-BREAK; WHERE IT WAS REVEALED IS DISPUTED.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

SAY, I fly for refuge unto the LORD of the day-break,* that he may deliver me from the mischief of those things which he hath created; and from the mischief of the night, when it cometh on;"† and from the mischief of women blowing on knots; and from the mischief of the envious, when he envieth.

CHAPTER CXIV.

INTITLED, MEN; WHERE IT WAS REVEALED IS DISPUTED.'

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.

SAY, I fly for refuge unto the LORD of men, the king of men, the GOD of men, that he may deliver me from the mischief of the whisperer who slily withdraweth, who whispereth evil suggestions into the breasts of men;

from genii and men.

The original word properly signifies a cleaving, and denotes, says al Beidâwi, the production of all things in general from the darkness of privation to the light of existence, and especially of those things which proceed from others, as springs, rain, plants, children, &c. and hence it is used more particularly to signify the breaking forth of the light from darkness, which is a most wonderful instance of the divine power.

"Say, I put my trust in the God of the morning."-Savary.

i. e. From the mischiefs proceeding either from the perverseness and evil choice of those beings which have a power to choose, or the natural effects of necessary agents, as fire, poison, &c. the world being good in the whole, though evils may follow from those

two causes."

[ocr errors]

Or, as the words may be rendered, From the mischief of the moon when she is eclipsed. + " That he may deliver me from the evils with which the human race is surrounded; from the influence of the moon, shrouded in darkness."-Savary.

* That is, of witches, who used to tie knots in a cord, and to blow on them, uttering at the same time certain magical words over them, in order to work on, or debilitate the person they had a mind to injure. This was a common practice in former days: what they call in France, Nouër l'eguillette, and the knots which the wizards in the northern parts tie, when they sell mariners a wind, (if the stories told of them be true,) are also relics of the same superstition.

The commentators relate, the Lobeid, a Jew, with the assistance of his daughters, bewitched Mohammed, by tying eleven knots on a cord, which they hid in a well: where upon Mohammed falling ill, God revealed this chapter and the following, and Gabriel acquainted him with the use he was to make of them, and of the place where the cord was hidden: according to whose directions the prophet sent Ali to fetch the cord, and the same being brought, he repeated the two chapters over it, and at every verse (for they consist of eleven), a knot was loosed, till on finishing the last words, he was entirely freed from the charm."

(The Mohammedans have an implicit faith in the efficacy of the words contained in these two chapters. They consider them as a sovereign specific against magic, lunar influences, and the temptations of the evil spirit. They never fail to repeat then evening and morn. ing.) Savary.

This chapter was revealed on the same occasion, and at the same time with the former. i. e. The devil; who withdraweth when a man mentioneth God, or hath recourse to his protection.

That he may deliver me from the temptations of Satan."-Savary.

• Al Beidâwi

• Vide Virgil. in Pharmaceutria.

Al Beidâwi, Jallalo'ddin.

AN INDEX

OF THE

PRINCIPAL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THE KORAN,
AND THE NOTES THEREON.

AARON, vide Moses.

Al Abbâs, one of Mohammed's uncles,
taken at Bedr, and obliged to ransom
himself, 146, n.; professes Islâm, 147,
n.; confesses a passage of the Koran to
be fulfilled in respect to himself, ib. n.; |
remarkable for his loud voice, 151, n.
Abda'lhareth, a son of Adam so named

Abdallah Dhu'lbajadîn, 161, n.
Abdallah Ebn Obba Solûl the hypocrite,
admired for his person and eloquence,
451, n.; threatens to drive Mohammed
from Medina, 453; raises and inflames
a scandalous story of Ayesha, 288, n.;
is present at an interview 'between
Mohammed and his adversaries, 341,
n.; occasions a quarrel, 418, n.; pro-
mises to assist the Nadirites, but fails
them, 445, n.; endeavours to debauch
Mohammed's men at Ohod, 50, n.; ex-
cused from going on the expedition to
Tabûc, 154, n.; desires Mohammed's
prayers in his last sickness, 159, n.;
and to be buried in the prophet's shirt,
ib.

Abdallah Ebn Omm Mactûm, a blind

man, occasions a passage of the Korân,
480, n.

Abdallah Ebn Rawâha, rebukes Ebn
Obba, 341, n.

Abdallah Ebn Saad, one of Mohammed's
amanuenses, imagines himselfinspired,
and corrupts the Korân, 108, n.; apos-
tatizes and is proscribed, but escapes
with life, ib.

Abdallah Ebn Salam, a Jew intimate
with Mohammed, his honesty, 45, n.;
supposed to have assisted in composing
the Korân, 223, n.; confounded by Dr.
Prideaux with Salman the Persian, ib.;
commended for his knowledge and
faith, 79.

Abd Menáf, a dispute between his de-
scendants and the Sahmites, 498, n.
Abda'lrahmâr. Ebn Awf, one of Moham-
med's first converts, Prelim. Disc. 31,
n; an instance of his charity, 158, n.

Abel, vide Cain; his ram sacrificed by
Abraham, 369, n.

Abraha al Ashram, king of Yaman, his
expedition against Mecca; the occa-
sion and success thereof, 499, n.
Abraham, the patriarch, an idolater ir
his youth, 106, n.; how he came to the
knowledge of the true God, ib.; demo-
lishes the idols of the Chaldeans, 268;
preaches to his people, 326; his reli-
gion commended, 15, 16, 47, 115; dis-
putes with Nimrod, 31; escapes the
fire into which he was thrown by
Nimrod's order, 269; his praying for
his father, 163, 447; desires to be con-
vinced of the resurrection, 31, 32; his
sacrifice of birds, 32; entertains the
angels, 182, 423; receives the promise
of Isaac, 182; called the friend of God,
75; is miraculously supplied by the
changing of sand into meal, ib. n.; his
sacrifice of his son, 369; praises God
for Ismael and Isaac, 208; commanded,
together with Ismael, to build and
cleanse the Caaba, 16; prays to God
to raise up a prophet of their seed, and
for the plenty and security of Mecca,
ib.; bequeaths the religion of Islâm to
his children, ib.

Abu Amer, vide Amer, &c.
Ad, a potent tribe of Arabs, destroyed

for their infidelity, 123, 282, 305, 390,
408, 490; vide Hud.

Adam, traditions concerning his creation,
4, n., 228, n.; worshipped by the an-
gels, 5, 117, 211, 232, 243, 376; his
fall, 5, 117; repents and prays, 6,
meets Eve at Mount Arafat, 5, n.; re-
tires with her to Ceylon, ib.; their sta-
ture, ib.; his posterity extracted from
his loins by God to acknowledge him
for their Lord, 135, n.; names his eld-
est son as directed by the devil, 137, n.
Adoption creates no matrimonial impedi-
ment, 341.
Adulterers, Mohammed's sentence against
them, 37, n., 87, n.

Adultery, its punishment, 37, 63; what
evidence required to convict a woman
of it, 61.

Adversaries, the dispute of two termi-
nated by David, 373.

Ahmed, the name under which Moham-
med was foretold by Christ, 449.
Al Ahkâf, the habitation of the Adites,
406.

Aila, or Elath, the sabbath-breakers there
changed into apes, 9, 134.

Al Akhnas, a hypocrite, 24, n., 460, n.
Alexander, vide Dhu'lkarnein.
Ali is sent to Mecca to publish part of
the Korân, 148, n.; the abstinence and
charity of him and his family, 474, n.
Allâ an idol of the Koreish, 74, n.,
427

Alms recommended, 6, 14, 23, 118, 438;
the punishment of not giving alms, in
the next life, 56, n.

Amena, Mohammed's mother, he is not
permitted to pray for her, 163.
Amer and Arbad attempt to kill Moham-
med, and their punishment, 201, n.
Amer (Abu), a Christian monk, and vio-
lent enemy to Mohammed, 162, n.
Amer (Banu), their abstinence on the
pilgrimage, 118, n.

Ammâr Ebn Yâser, tortured on account
of his faith, 224, n.

Amru Ebn Lohai, the great introducer
of idolatry among the Arabs, 113, n.,
167, n.

Amru (Banu) builds a mosque at Koba,
162, n.

Anam, the name of Lokmân's son, 336, n.
Angel of death, vide Azraîl.
Angels, their original, 117, 376; worship
Adam, vide Adam; impeccable, 243,
n.; of different forms and orders, 357;
not the objects of worship, 280; nor
ought to be hated, 13; the number of
them which support God's throne, 463;
are deputed to take an account of
men's actions, 421; some of them ap-
pointed to take the souls of men, 478;
to preside over hell, and to keep guard
against the devils, 472; assist the
Mosleras at Bedr, 36, 145; believed
by the Arabs to be daughters of God,
74, 218, &c.; appear to Abraham and
Lot, 182, 183, 423.

Animals, irrational, will be raised at the
resurrection and judged, 102, n.; cre-
ated of water, 293.

Ans Ebn al Nadar, his wehaviour at Ohod,
52, n.

Ansars, or helpers, who, 160, n.; three
of them excommunicated for refusing
to attend Mohammed to Tabúc, 164.

[ocr errors]

speech to them on the approach of
Solomon's army, ib.

Apostles were not believed who wrought
miracles, 57; those before Mohammed
accused likewise of imposture, 57, 101;
of Christ, 42; two of them sent to
preach at Antioch, 361.

Apparel, what kind ought to be worn by
those who approach the divine pre-
sence, 118.

Arabians, their acuteness, 115; their cus-
toms in relation to divorce, 341, n.; to
'adoption, ib.; in burying their daugh-
ters alive, 112, 481; their chief idols,
137, n.; their superstitions in relation
to eating, 113, 295, &c.; and in rela-
tion to cattle, &c., 74, 95; used to wor-
ship naked, and why, 118, n.; their
injustice to orphans and women, 75,
n.; deem the birth of a daughter a
misfortune, 218, n.; the reconciliation
of their tribes deemed miraculous, 145,
n.; quit their new religion in great
numbers on Mohammed's death, 89.
Arabs of the desert, more obstinate, 160.
Al Arâf, what, 116, n.

Arafat, Mount, why so called, 5, n.; the
procession thereto, 23.
Arbad, vide Amer.

Al Arem, the inundation of, 353, n.
Ark of Israel taken by the Amalekites,
30, n.

Arrows for divination forbidden, 81.
Al As Ebn Wayel, an enemy of Moham-
med's, 214, 254.

Asaf, Solomon's vizir, 312, n.
Asem, his charity, 158, n.
Ashadd (Abu'l) his extraordinary strength,
490, n.

Ashama, king of Ethiopia, embraces Mo-
hammedism, 92, n.; prayed for after

his death by Mohammed, 58, n.
Asia, the wife of Pharaoh, martyred by
her husband for believing in Moses,
458, n.; is taken alive into paradise,
ib.; one of the four perfect women, ib.
Aslam, 414, n.

Astrology, hinted at, 57.

Al Aswad al Ansi, the false prophet, 89, n.
Al Aswad Ebn Abd Yaghuth, al Aswad

Ebn al Motalleb, two of Mohammed's
enemies, 214.

Aws and Khazrai, their enmity, 48, n.
Ayesha, Mohammed's wife; the history
of her accusation, 288, n.

Azer, the name given to Terah, Abra-
ham's father, 105, n.

Azrail, the angel of death, why appointed
to that office, 4, n.; a story of him and
Solomon, 338, n.

Ants, the valley of, 310; their queen's | Baar, the chief idol of the Chaldeans, 268,n

« PreviousContinue »