RECORD OF THE REMOVAL OF ADAM—W. N. B. BL.—FROM THE DUNGHILL OF AFFLICTION TO THE GARDENS OF PARADISE.

When one thousand years of Adam’s life had elapsed, the season had arrived for the diploma of his life to be stamped with the signet of, ‘When their fate comes, they will not be respited an hour, nor hurried’; and the fore­ordained decree was to be sealed with the ring of, ‘All which is upon it [i.e. the earth] is perishable.’ Resigning himself to the will of heaven, he ordered all his sagacious children and noble relatives to assemble. When they were all present he commanded them to obey the Merciful and the Clement [Allah], and warned them not to follow Satan. He appointed Sheth, who was the most intelligent and beautiful of his children, to be his successor and their governor, and feeling a desire for the oil and olives of paradise, he despatched him to Mount Sinai to implore the most Beneficent of benefactors to grant him his wish. Sheth fulfilled his commission, and, raising his hands in prayer, said: ‘O Lord! Thy servant Adam is sick, and his mind covets the oil and olives of paradise.’ After this ejaculation he heard the words, ‘Bring thy pitcher,’ and, holding forth his earthen vessel, it was in a moment filled with what Adam’s heart desired; and, returning from Mount Sinai, he offered it to his father, who anointed his body with the oil, and partook of the olives. His malady then abated, but in a short time again returned; and when Adam was sorely afflicted therewith he said to his children: ‘The craving for the fruits of paradise has again over­powered me. Go bring me some.’ They obeyed, and when they had proceeded a short way on their journey they met Jebrâil with a company of angels, bearing a shroud and coffin. The angels interrogated the children of men, who informed them of their intention. Jebrâil said: ‘Return! for we have come to fulfil his wishes and his desires.’ The children accordingly went back, and perceived angels sitting with Adam, whom Jebrâil asked about his health, and he replied: ‘The violence of pain has so overcome me that I am unable to rise to say my prayers.’ Eve sat behind him and wept, whereon Adam said to her: ‘Go out from here, and leave me to the messengers of the Omnipotent Nourisher, because all the misfortunes I ever endured have befallen me through thee.’ Hereupon Eve and her daughters went aside, and A’zrayil was engaged in taking hold of Adam’s soul, who was praising and adoring God. At that time Jebrâil said to the angel of death: ‘Take this poor soul gently and easily, for thou knowest well Adam to be the individual whom the Almighty has created with the hand of His power, has breathed His own spirit into him, has ordered us to worship him, and has appointed him to the chief place in paradise.’ When the angel of death had terminated his business, Jebrâil put a robe on Adam, after which he performed the ablution and shrouding of the corpse. According to the most current tradition, his grave was dug on Mount Abuqbis,* where the angels, Eve, the sons and daughters of Adam, ranged themselves. According to the most approved records, Jebrâil made Sheth stand in front of himself while he recited the prayers over the corpse, which was then placed into the grave and covered with earth. On that occasion Jebrâil said to the children of Adam: ‘If you act according to the advice of your father, you will never go astray. You ought to know that death can be avoided by no one. What you have seen done by us with reference to washing and shrouding the corpse and saying prayers, do so likewise with all your dead bodies, for such is the command of God. You shall not see these angels any more till the hour of the resurrection. Now fare­well.’