beast; which seems to agree with the notion of those who assert the Korân to have two faces, one of a man, the other of beast; thereby, as I conceive, intimating the double interpretation it will admit of, according to the letter or the spirit. As some have held the Korân to be created, so there have not been wanting those who have asserted that there is nothing miraculous in that book in respect to style or composition, excepting only the prophetical relations of things past, and predictions of things to come; and that had God left men to their natural liberty, and not restrained them in that particular, the Arabians could have composed something not only equal, but superior to the Korân in eloquence, method, and purity of language. This was another opinion of the Mótazalites, and in particular of al Mozdâr abovementioned and al Nodhâm.7 The Koran being the Mohammedans' rule of faith and practice, it is no wonder its expositors and commentators are so very numerous. And it may not be amiss to take notice of the rules they observe in expounding it. One of the most learned commentators distinguishes the contents of the Koran into allegorical and literal. The former comprehends the more obscure, parabolical, and enigmatical passages, and such as are repealed or abrogated; the latter those which are plain, perspicuous, liable to no doubt, and in full force. To explain these severally in a right manner, it is necessary from tradi tion and study to know the time when each passage was revealed, its circumstances, state, and history, and the reasons or particular emergencies for the sake of which it was revealed. Or more explicitly, whether the passage was revealed at Mecca, or at Medina; whether it be abrogated, or does itself abrogate any other passage; whether it be anticipated in order of time, or postponed; whether it be distinct from the context, or depends thereon; whether it be particular or general; and lastly whether it be implicit by intention, or explicit in words.' By what has been said the reader may easily believe this book is in the greatest reverence and esteem among the Mohammedans. They dare not so much as touch it without being first washed or legally purified; which lest they should do by inadvertence, they write these words on the cover or label, "Let none touch it, but they who are clean." They read it with great care and respect, never holding it below their girdles. They swear by it, consult it in their weighty occasions, carry it with them to war, write sentences of it on their banners, adorn it with gold and precious stones, and knowingly suffer it not to be in the possession of any of a different persuasion. The Mohammedans, far from thinking the Korân to be profaned by with were these; "Every rebellious perverse person shall not prosper :" Whereupon he stuck it on a lance and shot it to pieces with arrows, repeating these verses; "Dost thou rebuke every rebellious perverse person? behold, I am that rebellious perverse person. "When thou appearest before thy Lord on the day of resurrection, say, O Lord, al Walid has torn me thus."-Ebn Shohnah. v. Poc. Spec. 223. Herbelot. p. 87. Poc. Spec. p. 222. Abulfeda, Shahrestani, &c. apud. Poc. Spec. p. 222, et Marracc. de Kor. p. 44. Al Zamakhshari. Vide Korân, chap. 3. p. 35. Ahmed Ebn Moham. al Thalabi, in princip. Expos. Alc. 1 Yahya Ebn al Salâm al Basri, in Princip. Expos Alc. 2 The Jews have the same veneration for their law; not daring to touch it with unwashed hands, nor then neither without a cover. Vide Millium, de Mohammed. ismo ante Moham. p. 366. This they do by dipping into it, and taking an omen from the words which they first light on: which practice they also learned of the Jews, who do the same with the scriptures. Vide Millium, ubi sup. a translation, as some authors have written, have taken care to have their scriptures translated not only into the Persian tongue, but into several others, particularly the Javan and Malayan, though out of respect to the original Arabic, these versions are generally (if not always) interlineary. SECTION IV. OF THE DOCTRINES AND POSITIVE PRECEPTS OF THE KORAN, WHICH RELATE TO FAITH AND RELIGIOUS DUTIES. IT has been already observed more than once, that the fundamental position on which Mohammed erected the superstructure of his religion was, that from the beginning to the end of the world there has been, and for ever will be, but one true orthodox belief; consisting, as to matter of faith, in the acknowledging of the only true God, and the believing in and obeying such messengers or prophets as he should from time to time send, with proper credentials, to reveal his will to mankind; and as to matter of practice, in the observance of the immutable and eternal laws of right and wrong, together with such other precepts and ceremonies as God should think fit to order for the time being, according to the different dispensations in different ages of the world: for these last he allowed were things indifferent in their own nature, and became obligatory by God's positive precept only; and were therefore temporary and subject to alteration according to his will and pleasure. And to this religion he gives the name of Islâm, which word signifies resignation, or submission to the service and commands of God; and is used as the proper name of the Mohammedan religion, which they will also have to be the same at bottom with that of all the prophets from Adam. Under pretext that this eternal religion was in his time corrupted, and professed in its purity by no one sect of men, Mohammed pretended to be a prophet sent by God, to reform those abuses which had crept into it, and to reduce it to its primitive simplicity; with the addition however of peculiar laws and ceremonies, some of which had been used in former times, and others were now first instituted. And he comprehended the whole substance of his doctrine under these two propositions, or articles of faith; viz. that there is but one God, and that himself was the apostle of God; in consequence of which latter article, all such ordinances and institutions as he thought fit to establish must be received as obligatory and of divine authority. The Mohammedans divide their religion, which as I just now said they call Islâm, into two distinct parts; Imân, i. e. faith, or theory, and Dîn, i. e. religion, or practice; and teach that it is built on five fundamental points, one belonging to faith, and the other four to practice. The first is that confession of faith which I have already mentioned, that "there is no God but the true God; and that Mohammed is his apostle." Under which they comprehend six distinct branches; viz. 1. Belief in God; 2. In his angels; 3. In his scriptures; 4. In his pro p. 265. Reland, de Rel. Mob. Sionita. de Urb. Orient. p. 41. et Marracc. de Alc. p. 23. The root Salama, from whence Islâm is formed, in the first and fourth cor jugations, signifies also to be saved, or to enter into a state of salvation; according to which, Islâm may be translated the religion or state of salvation: but the other sense is more approd by the Mohammedans, and alluded to in the Korân itself. See c. 2, p. 16, and c. ?. 37. phets; 5. In the resurrection and day of judgment; and, 6. In God's absolute decree and predetermination both of good and evil. The four points relating to practice are, 1. Prayer, under which are comprehended those washings or purifications which are necessary preparations required before prayer; 2. Alms; 3. Fasting; and, 4. The pilgrimage to Mecca. Of each of these I shall speak in their order. That both Mohammed and those among his followers who are reckoned orthodox had and continue to have just and true notions of God and his attributes (always excepting their obstinate and impious rejecting of the Trinity) appears so plain from the Korân itself, and all the Mohammedan ivines, that it would be loss of time to refute those who suppose the God of Mohammed to be different from the true God, and only a fictitious deity or idol of his own creation. Nor shall I here enter into any of the Mohammedan controversies concerning the divine nature and attributes, because I shall have a more proper opportunity of doing it elsewhere. The existence of angels and their purity are absolutely required to be believed in the Korân; and he is reckoned an infidel who denies there are such beings, or hates any of them, or asserts any distinction of sexes among them. They believe them to have pure and subtle bodies, created of fire;' that they neither eat nor drink, nor propagate their species; that they have various forms and offices; some adoring God in different postures, others singing praises to him, or interceding for mankind. They hold that some of them are employed in writing down the actions of men; others in carrying the throne of God and other services. The four angels whom they look on as more eminently in God's favour, and often mention on account of the offices assigned them, are Gabriel, to whom they give several titles, particularly those of the holy spirit, and the angel of revelations, supposing him to be honoured by God with a greater confidence than any other, and to be employed in writing down the divine decrees; Michael, the friend and protector of the Jews, Azrael, the angel of death, who separates men's souls from their bodies; and Israfil, whose office it will be to sound the trumpet at the resurrection. The Mohammedans also believe that two guardian angels attend on every man, to observe and write down his actions, being changed every day, and therefore called al Mɔakkibât, or the angels who continually succeed one another. This whole doctrine concerning angels Mohammed and his disciples have borrowed from the Jews, who learned the names and offices of those beings from the Persians, as themselves confess. The ancient Persians firmly believed the ministry of angels, and their superintendence over the affairs of this world (as the Magians still do), and therefore assigned them distinct charges and provinces, giving their names to their months and the days of their months. Gabriel they called Sorûsh and Revân bakhsh, or the giver of souls, in opposition to the contrary office of the angel of death, to whom among other names they gave that of Mordâd, or, the giver of death; Michael they called Beshter, who according to them provides sustenance for Korân, c. 2, p. 13. 'Marrace. in Alc. p. 102. • Sect. viii. Ibid c. 7, and 38 2 Ibid c. 2, p. 12. * See the notes, ibid p. 13. Vide Hyde, Hist. Rel. Vet. Pers. p. 262. Vide ibid p. 271, and note in Kor. p. 13. Vide note y, ibid p. 4. Kor. chap. 6, 13, and 86. The offices of these four angels are described almost in the same manner in the apocryphal gospel of Barnabas; where it is said that Gabriel reveals the secrets of God, Michael combats against his enemies, Raphael receives the souls of those who die, and Uriel is to call every one to judgment on the last day. See the Mena giana. tom. iv. p. 333. • Kor. c. 10. • Talmud Hieros. in Rosh hashan. mankind. The Jews teach that the angels were created of fire :2 that they have several offices; that they intercede for men, and attend them. The angel of death they name Dûma, and say he calls dying persons by their respective names at their last hour. The devil, whom Mohammed names Eblîs, from his despair, was once one of those angels who are nearest to God's presence, called Azazîl, and fell, according to the doctrine of the Korân, for refusing to pay homage to Adam at the command of God. Besides angels and devils, the Mohammedans are taught by the Korân to believe the existence of an intermediate order of creatures, which they call Jin or Genii, created also of fire, but of a grosser fabric than angels: since they eat and drink, and propagate their species, and are subject to death. Some of these are supposed to be good, and others bad, and capable of future salvation or damnation, as men are; whence Mohammed pretended to be sent for the conversion of Genii as well as men. The Orientals pretend that these Genii inhabited the world for many ages before Adam was created, under the government of several successive princes, who all bore the common name of Solomon; but falling at length into an almost general corruption, Eblîs was sent to drive them into a remote part of the earth, there to be confined; that some of that generation still remaining, were by Tahmûrath, one of the ancient kings of Persia, who waged war against them, forced to retreat into the famous mountains of Kâf. Of which successions and wars they have many fabulous and romantic stories. They also make different ranks and degrees among these beings (if they be not rather supposed to be of a different species), some being called absolutely Jin, some Peri or fairies, some Div or giants, others Tacwins or fates.3 The Mohammedan notions concerning these Genii agree almost exactly with what the Jews write of a sort of demons, called Shedîm, whom some fancy to have been begotten by two angels named Aza and Azaël, on Naamah the daughter of Lamech, before the flood. However the Shedîm, they tell us, agree in three things with the ministering angels; for that like them, they have wings, and fly from one end of the world to the other, and have some knowledge of futurity; and in three things they agree with men, like whom they eat and drink, are propagated, and die." They also say that some believe in the law of Moses, and are consequently good, and that others of them are infidels and reprobates. 6 As to the Scriptures, the Mohammedans are taught by the Korân that God, in divers ages of the world, gave revelations of his will in writing to several prophets, the whole and every word of which it is absolutely necessary for a good Moslem to believe. The number of these sacred books was, according to them, 104. Of which ten were given to Adam, fifty to Seth, thirty to Edris or Enoch, ten to Abraham; and the other four, being the Pentateuch, the Psalms, the Gospel, and the Korân, were successively delivered to Moses, David, Jesus, and Mohammed; which last being the seal of the prophets, those revelations are now closed, and no more are to be expected. All these divine books, except the four last, they 1 Vide Hyde, ubi sup. c. xix. and xx. Vide Psalm civ. 4. Yalkut hadash. Gemar. in Hagig. and Bereshit rabbah. &c. Midrash, Yalkut Shemûni. Moh. p. 189, &c. See the notes there. 72, and 74. * See D'Herbelot, Bibl. Orient. p. 369, 820, &c. 'Gemara, in Hagiga. Igrat Baale hayyim. c. 15. • Korân, c. 55. • Vide Korân, c. 55, In libro Zohar. agree to be now entirely lost, and their contents unknown; though the Sabians have several books which they attribute to some of the antediluvian prophets. And of those four, the Pentateuch, Psalms, and Gospel, they say, have undergone so many alterations and corruptions, that though there may possibly be some part of the true word of God therein, yet no credit is to be given to the present copies in the hands of the Jews and Christians. The Jews in particular are frequently reflected on in the Korân for falsifying and corrupting their copies of their law; and some instances of such pretended corruptions, both in that book and the two others, are produced by Mohammedan writers; wherein they merely follow their own prejudices, and the fabulous accounts of spurious legends. Whether they have any copy of the Pentateuch among them different from that of the Jews or not, I am not entirely satisfied, since a person who travelled into the east was told, that they had the books of Moses, though very much corrupted; but I know nobody that has ever seen them. However they certainly have and privately read a book which they call the Psalms of David, in Arabic and Persian, to which are added some prayers of Moses, Jonas, and others. This Mr. Reland supposes to be a translation from our copies (though no doubt falsified in more places than one); but M. D'Herbelot says it contains not the same Psalms which are in our Psalter, being no more than an extract from thence mixed with other very different pieces. The easiest way to reconcile these two learned gentlemen is to presume that they speak of different copies. The Mohammedans have also a Gospel in Arabic, attributed to St. Barnabas, wherein the history of Jesus Christ is related in a manner very different from what we find in the true Gospels, and correspondent to those traditions which Mohammed has followed in his Korân. Of this Gospel the Moriscoes in Africa have a translation in Spanish; 10 and there is in the library of prince Eugene of Savoy a manuscript of some antiquity, containing an Italian translation of the same Gospel,' made, it is to be supposed, for the use of renegades. This book appears to be no original forgery of the Mohammedans, though they have no doubt interpolated and altered it since, the better to serve their purpose; and in particular, instead of the Paraclete or Comforter, they have in this apocryphal gospel inserted the word Periclyte, that is, the famous or illustrious, by which they pretend their prophet was foretold by name, that being the signification of Mohammed in Arabic: and this they say to justify that passage of the Korân,' where Jesus Christ is formally asserted to have foretold his coming, under his other name of Ahmed; which is derived from the same root as Mohammed, and of the same import. From these or some other forgeries of the same stamp it is that the Mohammedans quote several passages of which there are not the least footsteps in the New Testament. But after all we must not hence infer that the Mohammedans, much less all of them, hold these copies of theirs to be the ancient and genuine Scriptures themselves. If any argue, from the corruption which they insist has happened to the Pentateuch and Gospel, that the Korân may possibly be corrupted also; they answer, that God has promised that he will take care of the latter, and preserve it from any addition or diminution; but that he left the two others to the care of men. However they confess there are some various readings in the Korân, as has been observed. • A copy Duke of Tuscany, Bibl. Orient. p. 924 321, &c. John xiv. 16, 26, xv. 26, See Toland's Nazarenus, the first eight Reland, ubi sup. p. 24, 27. Terry's voyage to the East Indies, p. 277. De Rel. Moham. p. 23. of this kind he tells us is in the library of the Reland. ubi sup. Menagian. tom. iv. p. and xvi. 7, compared with Luke, xxiv. 49. chapters. Chap. 61. Kor. c. 15. |