The West.—By this name the people of the East denote Africa from Tunis to Morocco; but not Andalûs or Spain.

The prayer of sunset.—This is strictly speaking the first prayer of the day, which is reckoned from sunset to sunset; though the morning prayer is often called the first. The time of the prayer of sunset begins a few minutes after the disap­pearance of the sun; the second prayer time, , begins when the evening has closed in; the third at day-break, or ; the fourth a little after the , or noon; and the fifth at the , or afternoon, midway between noon and dusk. Slight differences respecting the time of these devotions divide the four orthodox sects of Islam, but it is illegal to pray exactly at sunset, sunrise, or noon, since this was the practice of the sun-worshippers.

Performed with completeness.—This is interpreted to mean that it was performed in public, since a prayer in public in the mosque is more complete and excellent than one performed in private: or it may mean that it was performed with its full rite.

Joined to it what was optional.—That is, had added to the farḍ, or strictly incumbent inclinations, the two sunneh inclina­tions. The prayers consist of so many , or inclinations, each with its accompanying recitations. The number of incli­nations varies with the different prayers; but the prayer of sunset has three inclinations which are farḍ, and two which are sunneh; and the meaning of the text is that Ḥârith accomplished all five.

Ṭofayl, according to the legend, was the father of all intrusive guests, who come without being invited. According to Sherîshi he was Ṭofayl ibn Dallâl the Dârimî, and according to Abû ‘Obaydeh, cited at the proverb “More intrusive than Ṭofayl,” Arab. Prov. II. 838, he belonged to the tribe of ‘Abd Allah ibn Ghaṭafân. He dwelt at Kufa, and was known by the name of “Ṭofayl of the weddings,” or “Ṭofayl of the brides,” from his presenting himself unbidden at marriage feasts. From him every one who is , that is, an intruder while people are eating, or , that is, an intruder while they are drinking, is called a Ṭofayli; and from the nature of Eastern society the race has never failed. The satirical stories at the expense of these people are innumerable. One of them is supposed to sing:

“We are the people who when we are invited accept, and when we are forgotten invite ourselves:

“For we say, ‘Perhaps we were invited, but were from home, and the messenger came to us, but could not find us.’”

Yet it is doubted whether Ṭofayl ever existed, for signifies the coming on of night upon day; and from this the name Ṭofayli may be figuratively derived, as one who comes upon a company, unbidden and unwelcome.

Choice of the young camel’s hump.— is the flesh of the back from the shoulders to the rump, including the hump. is the young camel till the time that it is weaned. In the Mo‘allaḳah of Ṭarafeh, v. 93, we read, “The serving maids place the young camel on the coals and hasten to us with slices of the fat hump.” Yet it is said, “More insipid than the flesh of the young camel.” Arab. Prov. II. 713.

They loosed their loops to me, that is, they rose up to me. This phrase has its origin in the peculiar posture taken by Arabs when sitting at their ease. The Arabs in the desert had, when sitting, nothing to rest their backs against; it was their custom therefore to draw up their knees to their stomachs, and then bind their back to their legs with a garment, or a piece of cloth, such as a turban is made of. The thing with which this was done was called , and the act of doing it . Or some­times the man raised his knees in this manner and supported himself by holding a sword in front of his legs; and sometimes he knit his hands in front of them. Thus it was said that were “the walls of the Arabs,” that is, the things against which they rested their backs when sitting. The word is very insufficiently translated ‘loop;” and, indeed, it is impossible to render it in English. To loose the naturally means to rise; and to bind them means to sit down. To sit in this manner is the most easy posture among the Arabs, and would be adopted in a long confabulation. It is forbidden during the sermon as tending to sleep.

The blinding lightning that snatches away the sight. Compare Koran ii. 19.

The sip of the timid bird.—In the Thirty-ninth Assembly a similar comparison is used: “Not longer than the tasting of the drinker.”

The two words are , the ordained form of saluta­tion from one Moslem to another. The men on the or highest part of the barrier which separates Paradise from Hell, shall say to the people of Paradise, “Peace be upon you,” Koran vii. 44. It is not used to a person of another religion. The giving of this salutation to a Moslem is not an obligatory duty, farḍ, but a precept of Tradition, sunneh. To return it however is obligatory, since it is said, Koran iv. 88, “If ye be saluted return a still better salutation, or at least return it.” The former part of this command leads strict professors to repeat the full answer, which is, “On thee be peace and the mercy of God and his blessings;” or at least as much of this formula as is necessary to make it more complete than the original salu­tation. The Tradition given by Bayḍâwi is that a man said to the Prophet, “Peace be on thee.” The Prophet replied, “And on thee be peace and the mercy of God.” Another then said, “Peace be on thee and the mercy of God,” to which the Prophet replied, “And on thee be peace and the mercy of God and his blessings.” A third man said, “Peace be on thee and the mercy of God and his blessings,” to which the Prophet replied, “And on thee.” The man said, “Thou hast fallen short to me.” The Prophet answered that the man had left him nothing further to add, and that he had returned his wishes by saying, “And on thee.” Thus this full formula which unites all that can be desired for a man need not be exceeded in the answer.

The two salutations, or pronouncings of salâm.—Sherîshi says that these are the salâm uttered on entering the mosque, and that uttered at the close of the two inclinations with which it is proper to salute the mosque; or else it is the salâm uttered at the prayer of sunset, and that uttered after the inclinations. These opinions, no doubt, arise from the fact that only one salâm is necessary to the two inclinations with which the mosque must be saluted, so that if there were two salâms there would be four inclinations, which is unusual. But the commentator cited by De Sacy is of opinion that Ḥarîri takes the word in its ordinary sense as a salutation, so that it would be the same as rak‘âh.

The messenger of lank-bellied children.— is originally a post-horse or mule; it is then applied to a messenger who rides on such an animal, and, lastly, to any messenger.

Tables.—Ḥarîri, in the Durrah (Anth. Gram. Arabe p. 29, Texte Arabe), says that a table is not until the viands are placed on it; that, in fact, it means a table laid with food. The disciples said to Jesus, “O Jesus, son of Mary, is thy Lord able to send down to us a table, , from heaven?” where their meaning is shown to be a table laid with food, by their adding, “We desire to eat of it.” Koran v. 112. Until the food is upon it, says Ḥarîri, it is called . This opinion, however, is contrary to what is stated in De Sacy’s Commentary, page 360, for there is also said to signify the table only after the food is on it. Both words mean the small table, or rather tray, on which food is served.

Become absurd by being reversed.—The commentators have noticed that in the Koran instances of this property may be found as , xxi. 34; and , lxxiv. 3. The last is introduced into the author’s second sentence. It need hardly be said that in the Koran they are quite unintentional. The learned have discovered them as they have discovered that there are two verses which contain all the letters of the alphabet, and many matters of the same kind.

Originate virgin phrases in it.—Literally, “Deflower virgins of it.” Compare Sixth Assembly.