slaughter, and brought away abundance of rich spoil'; on occasion of which action Mohammed gave him the honourable title of Seif min soyûf Allah, one of the swords of GOD".

In this year also Mohammed took the city of Mecca, the inhabitants whereof had broken the truce concluded on two years before. For the tribe of Becr, who were confederates of the Koreish, attacking those of Khozâah, who were allies of Mohammed, killed several of them, being supported in the action by a party of the Koreish themselves. The consequence of this violation was soon apprehended; and Abu Sofiân himself made a journey to Medina on purpose to heal the breach and renew the truce"; but in vain; for Mohammed, glad of this opportunity, refused to see him; whereupon he applied to Abu Becr and Ali, but they giving him no answer, he was obliged to return to Mecca as he came.

Mohammed immediately gave orders for preparations to be made, that he might surprise the Meccans while they were unprovided to receive him: in a little time he began his march thither, and by that time he came near the city his forces were increased to 10,000 men. Those of Mecca, not being in a condition to defend themselves against so formidable an army, surrendered at discretion; and Abu Sofiân saved his life by turning Mohammedan. About twenty-eight of the idolaters were killed by a party under the command of Khâled; but this happened contrary to Mohammed's orders, who, when he entered the town, pardoned all the Koreish on their submission, except only six men and four women, who were more obnoxious than ordinary (some of them having apostatized) and were solemnly proscribed by the prophet himself; but of these no more than three men and one woman were put to death, the rest obtaining pardon on their embracing

" Al Bokhâri in Sonna.

W

This

Abulfeda, ib. p. 99, 100, &c. circumstance is a plain proof that the Koreish had actually broken the truce, and that it was not a mere pretence of Mohammed's, as Dr. Prideaux insinuates. Life of Mah. p. 94.

Mohammedism, and one of the women making her escape*.

The remainder of this year Mohammed employed in destroying the idols in and round Mecca, sending several of his generals on expeditions for that purpose, and to invite the Arabs to Islamism; wherein it is no wonder if they now met with success.

The next year, being the ninth of the Hejra, the Mohammedans call the year of embassies: for the Arabs had been hitherto expecting the issue of the war between Mohammed and the Koreish; but, so soon as that tribe, the principal of the whole nation, and the genuine descendants of Ismael, whose prerogatives none offered to dispute, had submitted, they were satisfied that it was not in their power to oppose Mohammed, and therefore began to come in to him in great numbers, and to send embassies to make their submissions to him, both to Mecca, while he staid there, and also to Medina, whither he returned this year". Among the rest five kings of the tribe of Hamyar professed Mohammedism, and sent embassadors to notify the same".

In the tenth year Ali was sent into Yaman to propagate the Mohammedan faith there, and, as it is said, converted the whole tribe of Hamdân in one day. Their example was quickly followed by all the inhabitants of that province, except only those of Najrân, who, being Christians, chose rather to pay tribute".

Thus was Mohammedism established, and idolatry rooted out, even in Mohammed's life-time, (for he died the next year,) throughout all Arabia, except only Yamama, where Moseilama, who set up also for a prophet as Mohammed's competitor, had a great party, and was not reduced till the Khalifat of Abu Bacr. And the Arabs, being then united in one faith, and under one prince, found themselves in a condition of making those conquests, which extended the Mohammedan faith over so great a part of the world.

* V. Abulfed ubi sup. c. 51, 52. P. 121.

z Abulfed. ubi sup. p. 128.

V. Gagnier, Not. ad Abulfed. a Abulfeda, ib. p. 129.

SECTION III.

Of the Korân itself, the Peculiarities of that Book; the Manner of its being written and published, and the general Design of it.

THE word Korân, derived from the verb karaa, to read, signifies properly, in Arabic, the reading, or, rather, that which ought to be read; by which name the Mohammedans denote not only the entire book or volume of the Korân, but also any particular chapter or section of it, just as the Jews call either the whole scripture, or any part of it, by the name of Karâh, or Mikra, words of the same origin and import. Which observation seems to overthrow the opinion of some learned Arabians, who would have the Korân so named, because it is a collection of the loose chapters or sheets which compose it; the verb karaa signifying also to gather or collect": and may also, by the way, serve as an answer to those who object that the Korân must be a book forged at once, and could not possibly be revealed by parcels, at different times, during the course of several years, as the Mohammedans affirm: because the Korån is often mentioned, and called by that name, in the very book itself. It may not be amiss to observe that the syllable Al in the word Alkoran is only the Arabic article, signifying the; and therefore ought to be omitted when the English article is prefixed..

Beside this peculiar name, the Koran is also honoured with several appellations, common to other books of scripture: as, al Forkân, from the verb

aThis name was at first given to the Pentateuch only, Nehem. viii. V. Simon. Hist. Crit. du Vieux Test. 1. 1. c. 9. b V. Erpen. Not. ad Hist. Joseph. p. 3.

c Marracc. de Alcor. p. 41.

faraka, to divide or distinguish; not, as the Mohammedan doctors say, because those books are divided into chapters or sections, or distinguish between good and evil; but in the same notion that the Jews use the word Perek, or Pirka, from the same root, to denote a section or portion of scripture. It is also called al Moshâf, the volume, and al Kitâb, the book, by way of eminence, which answers to the Biblia of the Greeks; and al Dhikr, the admonition, which name is also given to the Pentateuch and Gospel.

The Koran is divided into 114 larger portions of very unequal length, which we call chapters, but the Arabians Sowar, in the singular Sûra, a word rarely used on any other occasion, and properly signifying a row, order, or a regular series; as a course of bricks in building, or a rank of soldiers in an army; and is the same in use and import with the Sûra, or Tora of the Jews, who also call the fiftythree sections of the Pentateuch Sedârim, a word of the same signification®.

These chapters are not in the manuscript copies distinguished by their numerical order, though for the reader's ease, they are numbered in this edition, but by particular titles, which (except that of the first, which is the initial chapter, or introduction to the rest, and by the old Latin translator not numbered among the chapters) are taken sometimes from a particular matter treated of, or person mentioned therein; but usually from the first word of note, exactly in the same manner as the Jews have named their Sedârim: though the word from which some chapters are denominated, be very far distant, towards the middle, or perhaps the end of the chapter; which seems ridiculous. But the occasion of this seems to have been, that the verse or passage wherein such word occurs, was, in point of time,

a V. Gol. in append. ad Gram. Arab. Erpen. 175. A chapter or subdivision of the Massictoth of the Mishna is also called Perek. Maimon. præf. in Seder Zeraim, p. 57. e V. Gol. ubi sup. 177. Each of the six grand divisions of the Mishna is also called Seder. Maimon. ubi sup. p. 55.

revealed and committed to writing before the other verses of the same chapter which precede in order: and the title being given to the chapter before it was completed, or the passages reduced to their present order, the verse from whence such title was taken, did not always happen to begin the chapter. Some chapters have two or more titles, occasioned by the difference of the copies.

Some of the chapters having been revealed at Mecca, and others at Medina, the noting this difference makes a part of the title: but the reader will observe that several of the chapters are said to have been revealed partly at Mecca, and partly at Medina; and, as to others, it is yet a dispute among the commentators to which place of the two they belong.

Every chapter is subdivided into smaller portions, of very unequal length also, which we customarily call verses: but the Arabic word is Ayât, the same with the Hebrew Ototh, and signifies signs or wonders; such as are the secrets of GOD, his attributes, works, judgments, and ordinances, delivered in those verses; many of which have their particular titles also, imposed in the same manner as those of the chapters.

Notwithstanding this subdivision is common and well known, yet I have never yet seen any manuscript wherein the verses are actually numbered: though in some copies the number of verses in each chapter is set down after the title, which we have therefore added in the table of the chapters. And the Mohammedans seem to have some scruple in making an actual distinction in their copies, because the chief disagreement between their several editions of the Korân consists in the division and number of the verses: and for this reason I have not taken upon me to make any such division.

Having mentioned the different editions of the Korân, it may not be amiss here to acquaint the reader that there are seven principal editions, if I may