Rawżat al-ṣafā fi sīrat al-anbiya' va-'l-muluk va-'l-hulafa' - The Rauzat-us-Safa (Rehatsek), Part 1, Volume 1

RECORD OF MÛSA’S FLIGHT FROM EGYPT, HIS JOINING SHOA’IB, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THAT ELECTED ONE OF THE UNDOUBTED LORD.

It is related in the ‘Bedâyet wa Nahâyet’²⁸¹ that Mûsa— to whom be greeting—felt, during the time of his prosperity under the protection of Fara’ûn, by reason of his consanguinity, always much sympathy for the tribes of Esrâil, and was greatly vexed at the labours and hardships wherewith the Qabats troubled them, but as he was, on account of his dread of Fara’ûn, unable to help them, he diverted himself for the purpose of dispelling the waves of melancholy which assailed him, and of relieving his mind, by occasionally walking about alone in the city and in the bazârs. He happened one day to be strolling on the road when he perceived a Qabat, Qalân by name, who was one of Fara’ûn’s taskmasters, wrestling with one of the sons of Esrâil. As he had a sensitive mind, and was unable to bear the sight, he stepped between the antagonists, and advised the Qabat to let go the man and to allow him to go about his own business; the Qabat, however, paid no attention to his words, and Mûsa, who could not patiently bear to see the Esrâilite injured, became angry, struck the Qabat with his hand, and sent that accursed one, by beckoning with his blessed finger, to be strung on the same cable with the denizens of hell.²⁸² After he had left that place the flames of his anger became appeased, and he repented of his act, because he had not yet been promoted to the dignity of a prophet, and the divine revelation to fight the infidels had not yet been promulged to him. Therefore he said to himself: ‘This is one of the works of Satan,’ and returned to his home. The next day, when he was again walking on the same road for the purpose of ascertaining whether any people had taken notice, and were making inquiries about what had happened, he met the same Esrâilite quarrelling with another Qabat, and said to him: ‘What a base wretch thou must be to quarrel every day with someone!’ He, nevertheless, approached the antagonists for the purpose of releasing the Esrâilite from the grasp of the Qabat, but as the latter had the day before witnessed the bravery of Mûsa, he angrily queried: ‘Wilt thou to-day kill me as thou didst kill another man yesterday?’²⁸³ When the Qabat had uttered these words he let go his hold of the Esrâilite, and as he had heard that Fara’ûn was desirous of discovering the murderer of the Qabat for the purpose of retaliating upon him, he immediately hastened to Fara’ûn with his information. At this news the chain of Fara’ûn’s intention to destroy Mûsa, which had long been uppermost in his mind, was set in motion. In order to avoid the importunities of Asia, which she set on foot to intercede for Mûsa, he caused her to connive in the judgment, and commanded Mûsa to be brought forward so that he might, after hearing testimonies and witnesses, uproot the tree of his existence. It is said that the carpenter who had made the box for Mûsa came to inform him of what was in store for him. Mûsa accordingly fled from the city without any preparations or stores, turned his face towards the desert, travelled seven days and nights, supported himself on grass and greens, and, uncertain where he was going, he arrived near the well of Madian, which was deep, like the meditations of sages, and penetrating, like the thoughts of the intelligent. Near the well there was a tree, lifting its head to the cupola of Orion. The top of the said well was covered by a stone, to remove which the strength of forty men was required. When his lordship the speaker [with Allah] had remained for some time in that locality, he saw a crowd of herdsmen arriving with innumerable sheep and uncounted cattle from all parts of the desert, and hustling each other near the well, except two females, who halted at a distance with some sheep. The shepherds watered their flocks, and having replaced the stone on the top of the well, cared not for those maidens and their sheep, but went away. Mûsa pitied the females, and on interrogating them, these two daughters of Shoa’ib explained their circumstances to him, and said: ‘It is our custom to use every day the remnant of the water left by the flocks of those men, to quench the thirst of our sheep, and then to go home; to-day, however, there is no surplus left.’ Mûsa was touched by this recital, lifted the stone from the well and threw it to a distance, drew up a bucket from the well which forty men were unable to pull up, and which had been left therein; after watering the sheep he replaced it, took up his position under the above-mentioned tree, and occupied himself with addressing his prayers to the omnipotent Granter of requests.

The author of the ‘A’in-ullâkhbâr’ states that when the daughters of Shoa’ib returned to their domicile, they reported to their father what had taken place, and also mentioned the athletic strength of Mûsa. Shoa’ib desired to make his acquaintance, and sent his eldest daughter in search of him. Mûsa complied, and turned his face towards the habitation of Shoa’ib. When he had entered the house of the latter, Shoa’ib considered the arrival of Mûsa as a favour, made various inquiries of him, and, after being informed of his circumstances and descent, he congratulated him on having been delivered from the tyranny and grasp of his oppressors, and discharged towards him all the duties of hospitality, so that Mûsa—u. w. b., etc.—was delivered from the misery and trouble of hunger and distress. After Shoa’ib had comforted Mûsa, he prognosticated great happiness from connection with him; therefore he invited him to marry his handsomest daughter, on condition that he would serve for her during seven years. Mûsa assented with great pleasure, because he knew that the shepherd of Vâdi Aimen would attain his desire by complying with the wish of Shoa’ib.

Some historians have related—after Ebn A’bbâs, u. w. b., etc.—that Shoa’ib kept in his house staffs of the prophets which amounted to seventy in number. Among these staffs there was one with a head of myrtle-wood; it was ten cubits long, and had been brought from paradise by Adam the pure, u. w. b., etc.; and Shoa’ib knew that it would belong to a prophet of the sons of Esrâil, with whom the Lord and Omnipotent Nourisher was going to converse. Ka’b-ullâkhbâr states that the staff of Mûsa was made of a kind of bramble, which is, according to his opinion, a kind of tree that had grown before any other trees on the banks of rivers.²⁸⁴ In short, as Mûsa had agreed to pasture the sheep, Shoa’ib recommended him to take one of those staffs, and to use it when guarding them. When Mûsa was about to start for the pasture, he intended to take a staff, and the above-mentioned one having [spontaneously] approached him, his lordship the speaker [with Allah] took it and departed. Shoa’ib, whose eyes had become weak, felt that staff with his blessed hand, saying: ‘O Mûsa, leave this staff, and take another.’ Mûsa returned seven times to the house, but was, despite all his efforts, unable to lay hand on another, except on that same staff. By this strange event Shoa’ib was apprised that Mûsa would put on the robe of prophecy, and would be exalted to the favour of speaking with God. After that he recommended Mûsa not to neglect his staff, because he would see it perform a wonderful thing. Many of the principal historians have explained the falling of the staff into Mûsa’s hands when he returned in another manner, which will be narrated below.

RECORD OF THE RETURN OF MUSA—U. W. B., ETC.—FROM MADIAN, AND HIS BEING EXALTED TO THE DIGNITY OF PROPHECY.

After Mûsa had been a shepherd during seven years, Shoa’ib gave him his daughter Safura in marriage; and after having placed Shoa’ib under obligations by serving him two years more, his lordship wished to depart, and his request was complied with. It is related that before the arrival of the speaker with God [i.e. Moses], an angel in the guise of a man had visited Shoa’ib, and had entrusted a staff to his keeping, which his lordship the teacher of prophets [i.e. Jethro] accepted, and, as is customary with things entrusted for keeping, deposited and kept it with his own staffs. On the occasion of Mûsa’s departure, Shoa’ib told him to go into the house and to take a staff. His lordship did as he was bid, and accidentally the staff entrusted to Shoa’ib fell into his hands. This Shoa’ib discovered by touch, and said: ‘O Mûsa, leave the staff in its place, because it is the deposit of another; and take a different one instead.’ Mûsa returned to the house and replaced it; but when he stretched forth his hand to take another, the same staff again fell into his grasp. He informed Shoa’ib of this, who said: ‘Apparently thou art more entitled and worthier to possess it [than the person who brought it]. Arise, and go in peace.’ Mûsa accordingly departed with his wife and family, sheep, and property from Madian to Egypt; but as soon as Mûsa had gone, Shoa’ib considered himself guilty for having surrendered the deposit, and repented of having given away the staff to Mûsa, after whom he immediately hastened, and when he had overtaken him he asked for the staff. Mûsa, however, refused to surrender it, and the affair ended in a quarrel, during which an angel in the guise of a man made his appearance for the purpose of judging between them, and said: ‘Mûsa, throw the staff on the ground, and whoever takes it up may keep it.’ Both agreed to this condition. His lordship the speaker [with Allah] threw the staff down, and though Shoa’ib made numerous efforts take it up, he was unable to do so. After that Mûsa stretched out his hand, grasped the staff, and departed. He then travelled five days, and arrived the sixth night in the valley of Mount Sinai. There he beheld numerous dark clouds heaped up in the air, which was very cold. He necessarily stopped, and ordered his wife to kindle a fire for the purpose of warming themselves. She made numerous efforts to produce a spark from steel and flint, but was unsuccessful. Mûsa, being greatly astonished at this, placed the head of wonder upon the knee of meditation; then he looked towards the desert, and perceived a mighty glare in the direction of Mount Sinai. He was certain that this must be fire, took up his staff, enjoined his companions to remain where they were, and hastened towards the spot, as Allah the Most High said: ‘And he spoke to his family: Tarry ye [here], for I see fire; peradventure I may bring you hence some tidings [of the way, or at least] a brand out of the fire.’²⁸⁵

As the poet beautifully said:

Verses:

Grant a drop; for to the tavern of the beneficent Every champion comes with a request. There is no one who has not business in Thy house. Every one goes there from desire. Not only I rejoice at the fire of Vâdi Aimen. Mûsa comes here with hopes of [obtaining] a brand.286

Some historians have stated that when the Lord Mûsa went to Mount Sinai, and was invested with the robe of prophecy, he was forty-nine years and thirty-seven days old; but according to the tradition of theologians he was seventy-nine years and seven days old, so that the two statements differ.

It is said that the distance from the place where Mûsa was, to that where he perceived the glare of fire, amounted to twelve farsakhs, and when by his spiritual perfection he approached that light he perceived a large fire ascending to the zenith from the branches and twigs of green trees without the accompaniment of smoke. The fire increased by degrees more and more, as well as the verdure and the brilliancy of the trees. Mûsa was awed, contemplated for some time the burning green trees, and knew not how he might obtain possession of some of that fire. At last he tied several small sticks into a bundle, by means of which he hoped to attain his object, and to return with fire to his domicile; but when he approached the tree the fire receded from him, and mounted to the upper part of the branches. Mûsa despaired at last, and intended to return without having executed his intention. Then the fire inclined towards him, but when he came near it again retreated. This having occurred several times, Mûsa became sad and melancholy; thereon a voice struck his ears, the like of which he had never heard before, and the words were: ‘O Mûsa!’ His lordship, the speaker [with Allah], replied: ‘I wait Thy commands.’ He looked to the right and could see no one, but after the above explanation had been thrice repeated, Mûsa asked: ‘Who art Thou whose voice I hear, but whom I cannot see?’ Then the response came: ‘I am Allah, the Lord of both worlds; I am thy Lord, O Mûsa.’ His lordship, the speaker [with Allah], then prostrated himself for adoration and asked: ‘My God, is this Thy voice, or the voice of Thy messenger?’ Then the allocution arrived: ‘The words are My words, and the light is My light; I am the Omnipotent Nourisher of the inhabitants of the world. Come near, O Mûsa.’ These words filled the speaker [to Allah] with terror; his limbs quaked, and his tongue refused to move, the bird of his intellect flew out of the cage of his brains, and only after the greatest efforts he was enabled to rise by the aid of his staff. The all-powerful Lord then sent an angel, by whose assistance he might approach the tree, but when he desired to come nearer he heard the words: ‘Verily I am thy Lord; pull off thy shoes, for thou art in the sacred valley.’²⁸⁷ It would appear strange that the merciful and clement Lord should have ordered the speaker [to Allah] to take off his shoes, but as they must have been dusty from his travels, and as the place was holy, this was an intimation that whenever man obtains certainty, he ought to divest himself of all external attributes, and confessing his own nullity, ought entirely to abandon himself to the true amity of the Omnipotent Lord—

Those acquainted with the mystic sciences are well aware that theological discussions like the above do not belong to the province of history. Commentators and expounders have written much concerning the removal of the sandals, and we refer the reader to their works.

When Mûsa was at the sanctuary of Mount Sinai, and became a testimony to the regard of the true Witness, he was liberated from his metaphorical ordinances, and the Master of His own work [i.e. of the universe], and Sovereign of the regions of existence, made him partake of His graces and favours, invested him with the robe of prophecy, and decorated him with the ornaments of sciences and knowledge. The Most Glorious and Magnificent has said: ‘I have selected thee to be My distributor, etc.’ When He intended to send Mûsa to reform the deficient, and to appoint him a messenger to Fara’ûn and his followers, He bestowed upon him evident signs and clear miracles; enabled his penetrating mind to appreciate them, and accustomed his enlightened intellect to behold them. It is related that with reference to the production of the miracle with the staff, God—w.n.b.pr.—asked Mûsa, for the purpose of emboldening him to speak: ‘What is that in thy right hand, O Mûsa?’ His lordship replied: ‘This is my staff on which I lean, and with which I obtain leaves from trees for my sheep, and it has also other uses to me.’

Ebn A’bbâs has enumerated several properties of the staff of Mûsa, many of which manifested themselves after he had received his mission; some, however, will now be described as follows: The first is that he loaded some of his baggage upon that staff, which followed him in his travels like an animal, and conversed with him like a man. Secondly, when he was hungry he struck the staff on the ground, and a sufficiency of victuals for one day’s consumption issued from the soil. Whenever he wanted any fruit he planted the staff into the earth, whereon it immediately became green, shot forth branches, and bore the desired fruit. Another peculiarity of this staff was that when he stood in need of water he let it down into any well, like a bucket, whereon it became long enough to reach the water, assumed the form of a pail, and was filled. Another of its properties was that in the night it emitted light, like a torch. Another was that in the presence of an enemy there was no need for the Lord Mûsa to fight, because the staff attacked his antagonist spontaneously; and, as Mûsa was not aware of its property of becoming a dragon, he was ordered to throw it on the ground, whereon it became suddenly transformed into a terrible serpent,²⁸⁸ whose ugly form began to move in all directions, and so disquieted Mûsa that he fled, whereupon the allocution reached him: ‘Take it, and be not afraid of it, for it will assume its first shape.’ Mûsa was so frightened that he touched the dragon with the sleeve of his woollen garment, whereon he heard the words: ‘O Mûsa, perhaps thy sleeve is a remover of the calamity of serpents?’ Mûsa replied: ‘No, O Lord; but I am a weak person, begotten by another weak individual.’ Then the Omnipotent Inscrutable One followed up this prodigy by another, for the purpose of tranquillizing the apprehensions of Mûsa. This was the light which shone forth from the palm of His blessed hand, so that the twinkling of the stars and the shining of the moon were nothing in comparison therewith; nay, it even surpassed the light of the sun in splendour and radiance. When the soul of Mûsa became pacified and contented by the appearance of evident and manifest prodigies, the Almighty sent him as an inspired messenger to Fara’ûn, saying: ‘Go to Far’aûn, for he is a rebel.’²⁸⁹ Mûsa, however, perceived by his prophetic foresight and abundant judgment that the prophetic dignity is a perilous and exalted office; therefore, he immediately opened the tongue of petition to the Lord of Magnificence, pleaded his inability and weakness, and asked for the power of utterance of eloquent rhetoric, the partnership of a wazir, the aid of a manifester, freedom of mind, the opening of his disposition, and the enlargement of his intellect. Then the allocution reached him: ‘What thou hast asked is granted to thee. Thy wants are supplied, and thy brother Harûn has been exalted to the dignity of a prophet, and he will be thy partner.’²⁹⁰ Mûsa again opened the mouth of request, and said: ‘Lord, I have killed a man, and I fear they will murder me.’ Then he heard a voice as follows: ‘I have selected thee to be a messenger, and I have ennobled thee by My favours, be therefore of good cheer, and consider how thou wilt liberate the sons of Esrâil; because Fara’ûn and the Fara’ûnites will not [be able] to overcome thee, and shall by no means injure thee. I shall cause thy brother to share thy prophecy with thee, and I shall grant to both of you [miraculous] forces.’ After his lordship the speaker [to God] had received the gift of prophecy, of monotheism, and of the law with the power of working miracles, the divine revelation once more reached him in the following words: ‘Go thou and thy brother to Fara’ûn and announce to him your mission, do not be negligent in the duties thereof, admonish him with gentle speeches and soft words, endeavour to rescue the children of Esrâil, and advise him to withdraw the hand of tyranny from them, and to leave off oppressing them. Preach to him the upright religion, and reveal to him the straight road; inform him of the promised threats; if he accepts your advice, “Greeting to him who follows the guidance”; if he refuses to obey the divine commands or deviates from the road of salvation, then “punishment to him who accuses the messengers of God of falsehood and turns away” [will be his sentence].’

Some historians have stated, that after the Good Advocate had thus pledged Himself to patronize everything connected with Mûsa, the latter departed to Egypt for the purpose of fulfilling his mission, and that after he had ended his transactions with Fara’ûn, his family [again] met him sound and safe.

It is related by certain parties, that when Mûsa returned the next morning from Mount Sinai to his people, his wife was rejoiced at his arrival, and asked him whether he had brought fire. He replied: ‘I have not brought fire, but I have brought the light of prophecy.’ With reference to this circumstance, pleasant explanations, and elegant reports have been handed down by doctors, but as the verification of traditions does not pertain to the sphere of history, this mystic science is left to be pursued by those who have sufficient acuteness, skill, and inclination for it:

RECORD OF MÛSA’S—U. W. B. P.—ARRIVAL IN EGYPT IN CONCERT WITH HARÛN; HIS INVITING FARA’ÛN TO THE STRAIGHT PATH, AND THE PERSISTENCE OF THE LATTER IN SIN.

It is recorded in several histories, that when Mûsa approached the country of Egypt, a revelation reached Harûn, whereby he was informed of Mûsa’s circumstances and ordered to hasten to meet him. Harûn accordingly made his preparations and left the city, meeting his brother on the banks of the river Nile. They recognised each other, and went to Fara’ûn’s palace before going to their own home. The majority of historians affirm that Mûsa performed the journey, arrived in Egypt, and secretly alighting in the night at his mother’s house, was not recognised by her on account of his long absence. She asked him, however, various questions, and Mûsa replied: ‘I am a stranger, and have come from a distant journey. This night I shall be a guest here.’ As hospitality to strangers was by the virtuous and the excellent considered to be a religious duty, the mother of Mûsa performed the office of waiting upon him, and asked Harûn to keep him company, and to converse with him. As they were talking with each other Harûn recognised Mûsa, informed his mother, and after having deplored his loss for a long time, her grief was now turned into pleasure and rejoicings. During the same night Mûsa communicated to Harûn and to the family the office with which he had been entrusted, and announced that his brother Harûn had likewise been promoted to the dignity of a prophet. All who were present listened with acquiescence to his invitation, followed it, and attained the happiness of being guided.

According to another tradition Mûsa rested himself three days from the fatigues of the journey, and from the perilous toils which he had undergone; and on the fourth day he proceeded to invite Fara’ûn [to follow his advice]. It is related that the castle of Fara’ûn was surrounded by seventy [enclosing] walls, and that between every two walls there were villages, cultivated fields, and rivers; seventy thousand warriors were quartered there. Around the city of Fara’ûn, where his castle was, there were also waters, trees, wild beasts, and rapacious lions. That castle had one road, by means of which the people could reach the gates of the city, and anyone who deflected from the straight path fell into the grasp of lions, furious like mad elephants. When Mûsa arrived with Harûn at the first wall and gate they found the latter closed; Mûsa, however, struck it with his staff, whereon it flew open. This he did at all the gates, and when they arrived near the trees where the abode of the lions was, all of them fled for fear of Mûsa and dispersed. When Mûsa arrived at the private castle of Fara’ûn, and threw the rod of permanency upon the ground, the fear and apprehensions that the men of Fara’ûn entertained towards him hindered them for some time from venturing to inform him of the arrival of the two brothers.

Wuhub Bin Munia states that Mûsa reached the gate of the castle on the fourth of the month Zil-Hejjah, and that Fara’ûn knew nothing about him for several days. Muhammad Bin Esahâq has reported that his lordship the speaker [with God] had been two years in the castle, but that no one dared to give the news to Fara’ûn, until a man who enjoyed the post of sorcerer at his court, and had become acquainted with some of the qualities of Mûsa, asked the brothers: ‘Do you know what place this is, and for what purpose you have entered it?’ They replied: ‘This is the castle of Fara’ûn, who is with his followers and all the inhabitants of the world, a servant of the Lord of heaven and earth. We are the ambassadors of the God of the universe to Fara’ûn.’ The said magician then entered the place where Fara’ûn was, and said: ‘O king, to-day I have seen something wonderful, so that I forgot the calamity of the men-devouring lions.’ Fara’ûn then elicited from him also the following statement: ‘I have seen two individuals at the gate of thy castle, for fear of whom the lions fled like foxes. Probably they have bewitched them, and when I conversed with these men I heard big words.’ Fara’ûn then asked what these men had said, and the sorcerer continued: ‘They imagine there is another God besides thee, who is the Creator of heaven and earth, as well as the Nourisher of the inhabitants of the world.’ When Fara’ûn heard these words he was overpowered by rage, and forthwith summoned Mûsa and Harûn to his presence. Hâmân and the grandees of the nation were present in the assembly, but many other persons had also congregated to see what would take place. When Fara’ûn had cast a glance at Mûsa, and saw a man dressed in a woollen garment, with sandals on his feet and a staff in his hand, he immediately recognised him, and asked: ‘What is thy name?’ He replied: ‘My name is Mûsa, the son of E’mrân.’ Fara’ûn rejoined: ‘I do not ask thee about this.’ Mûsa continued: ‘I am one of the servants of God, who has created me of loam, into which I shall again be transmuted at last.’ Fara’ûn said: ‘As to thy name and connections, it would be better for thee to confess that thou art one of my servants, and brought up by my favour; because thou hast been a long time with us, and wast educated in my house, until thou hast perpetrated what thou hast perpetrated. Thou hast, namely, killed one of my people, and hast been ungrateful. Thou hast fled from my country. After having been mean and despised, thou hast become poor and a hired servant, and now hast come pretending to be a prophet.’ Mûsa replied: ‘I struck the man with my fist, and knew not that the blow would be fatal to his life; consequently I am not amenable to punishment. But as thou hast, on account of thy innate aversion towards me, constantly striven to injure me, I fled for fear of thee; “and flight is not against the ordinances of inspired messengers.” When I left your country, and submitted to the hardships of travel, to fear, to astonishment, and to perils, the Lord God Almighty pardoned my transgressions, and has promoted me to the exalted dignity of a prophet and inspired messenger, has sent me on this mission, and has appointed Harûn, my brother, to be my partner in this matter. How canst thou upbraid me with having killed an infidel, whereas for four hundred years you have persecuted the sons of Esrâil, who are descendants of prophets, with various chastisements, and murdered them without provocation? And you have changed their lives into an existence of misery and affliction. Now, it will be thy duty to acknowledge the unity of the Lord of lords, and the truth of my prophetic office, and to abandon the sons of Esrâil to my guidance, and to let alone their affairs.’ It is related that when the disputations took place between Fara’ûn and Mûsa, some of which are mentioned in the glorious Qurân, he refuted his opponent; whereon Fara’ûn said: ‘O Mûsa, if thou wilt adore another besides me, and wilt serve Him, I shall imprison thee, and cause thee to despair of attaining dignity, and being saved.’ Mûsa rejoined: ‘How couldst thou prevail over me, since the Lord of Grandeur—w. n. b. pr—has vouchsafed me a powerful argument, and satisfactory evidence [to the contrary].’ Fara’ûn continued: ‘Bring, then, forth [an argument], if thou art one of the truthful.’ Mûsa then threw his staff to the ground, and it became immediately a great dragon and powerful serpent, vomiting fire from its throat and smoke from its nostrils. Its eyes glared like two torches, and attracted the attention of all present. From the teeth, which it was grinding upon each other, a fearful noise issued, which made the ears of those who heard it tingle; and it was like the roar of a furious lion. Whatever this monster encountered it broke, whatever it breathed upon it burnt; so that the assembled people took to their heels, and Wuhub Bin Munia states that twenty-five thousand persons were crushed to death in that crowd. The dragon then approached the throne of Fara’ûn, intending to swallow it. When the tyrant beheld this terrible sight he fell down from his seat, and answered during one night and day the calls of his wicked nature forty times, whereas before that event he had done so only once in forty days. It is related that on the said occasion Fara’ûn grasped the supports of his throne, cried for mercy, and besought the Lord Mûsa to remove this affliction, pledging himself to follow the law, and to withdraw the hand of tyranny from the children of Esrâil. Then Mûsa touched, by divine command, with his blessed hand the dragon, which immediately recovered its original form, and became a staff again.

After the prodigy of the staff, Mûsa said: ‘I have another argument in favour of the truth of my prophetic dignity.’ Fara’ûn asked: ‘What is it?’ Then Mûsa put his hand in his bosom, and when he drew it forth again it dazzled every eye by its splendour, and all the people fell upon their faces, because they had not the power to look at his bright hand; wherefore they craved pity from Mûsa, imploring him to remove it.

Then Fara’ûn said: ‘Return to-day, that I may consider the [propriety of] following thee.’ When Mûsa again came, Fara’ûn said to him without the knowledge of his people, secretly: ‘O Mûsa, thou hast killed twenty-five thousand persons; perhaps thou hast been sent for that purpose?’ Mûsa replied: ‘In reality they have been killed by thyself, because thou believest not in God the Most High, and hast forced these people to become infidels and idolaters.’ Then Mûsa admonished and invited him to adore the Lord God, whose word be glorified; but Fara’ûn asked: ‘What will be my reward if I comply with thy demand?’ Mûsa replied: ‘I desire thee to do one thing, that I may give thee four in return for it.’ Fara’ûn asked: ‘What is thy desire?’ Mûsa continued: ‘Thou must worship God, besides whom there is no other.’ Fara’ûn queried: ‘What are the four things?’ Mûsa said: ‘I shall beseech the inscrutable Creator to grant thee youth which is not followed by old age, and to bestow upon thee a royalty which cannot be wrested from thee; to give thee health not interrupted by disease, and eternal paradise in the next world.’ Fara’ûn said: ‘I shall give thee a reply after having consulted some wise men.’ Then he entered his house, and informed Asia of what had taken place. She said: ‘No intelligent person would refuse these blessings, and thou must without delay act according to the words of Mûsa.’ Fara’ûn then left Asia and consulted Hâmân;²⁹¹ but the latter heedlessly said: ‘Wouldst thou, after having reposed for many years on the glorious throne of deity, now descend to the humiliation of slavery? Wouldst thou, after having been for a long time worshipped by others, now worship another? The kingdom is thy kingdom, and no one can wrest it from thy grasp. If thou actest according to the advice of skilled physicians, thou wilt always enjoy health. Dye thy hair and beard like Mûsa, thou wilt always appear to be young; and as for paradise, I do not believe there is one besides these gardens of bliss, which thou [already] possessest.’ After having thus succumbed to the deceitful and flattering words of Hâmân, Fara’ûn refused to obey Mûsa; he assembled the grandees and councillors of his realm, and said: ‘What is your opinion about the removal of these two sorcerers, who desire to expel you by the aid of their witchcraft from this country, in order to obtain it for themselves?’ The grandees of the land being of opinion that dexterous magicians could resist Mûsa Fara’ûn issued orders that all the countries of the earth be searched, and that wherever a sorcerer was discovered he should be produced. The number of these magicians is variously set down by the Emâms of history, but the most correct tradition is that it consisted of seventy-two individuals. Fara’ûn promised them royal favours, and appointed a certain festival and holiday of the Qabats, on which everyone was to display his skill, so that the conqueror might be discerned from the conquered, and truth from falsehood. When the time of respite had elapsed, on their New Year’s Day, which was the tenth of the month Muharram, immense crowds of people, which the plains and mountains could scarcely hold, assembled in the space set apart for the festival. The assembly of magicians, skilled in playing various tricks upon each other, and gladdened by the largesses of the accursed Fara’ûn, were expecting the arrival of Mûsa and of Harûn, who soon made their appearance, and began to admonish and to instruct the magicians, who were quickly undeceived, by the conversation, circumstances, freedom, and demeanour of the two brothers, in the opinion that they were sorcerers like themselves, and exclaimed in great astonishment and apprehension, [addressing Mûsa as follows]: ‘If thou conquerest us, we shall become thy followers; but if we are victors, Fara’ûn will know what he has to do. By his favour and aid, however, we hope to become the conquerors.’ They accordingly begged leave of Mûsa, and drew themselves up on the plain, whereon their staffs, which were hollow and full of quicksilver, began to move from the heat of the sun. The people took them to be real serpents, and began to run. Mûsa, perceiving this, was grieved at the vileness of the comparison, and said to Harûn: ‘It must not be that these people take us also for sorcerers and remain under this impression.’ Then the divine allocution reached him: ‘Fear not, for thou shalt be superior; therefore cast down [the rod] which is in thy right hand’ (to the end of the verse).²⁹² When Mûsa threw his staff it became a great dragon, and swallowed all their figures, which were [only] semblances;²⁹³ then it hastened towards the pavilion of Fara’ûn, for the purpose of devouring it likewise. In this dreadful predicament Fara’ûn preferred flight to permanency; all the people hustled each other and ran away; great confusion took place in the plain, in so disastrous a manner that, according to tradition, six hundred thousand persons were crushed to death. When Mûsa touched the dragon, it again reverted to its former state and became a staff; but the instruments of sorcery could not be found, and the magicians concluded that the Lord Mûsa had been working with the aid of heaven, because they knew that if he had been a sorcerer their utensils would have returned to their original state. On that day Mûsa invited the people to follow the law of God and the religion of Ebrahim. Seventy-two tribes of the Qabats believed, and when the truth of Mûsa and Harûn’s pretensions to prophecy became evident to the sorcerers, they immediately hastened to his lordship the speaker [with God] and obtained the felicity of [the religion of] Islâm. Fara’ûn, having been informed that the magicians had become believers, summoned them to his presence, reproached and threatened to cut them to pieces, or to crucify them, to make them renounce the bright religion; but they selected the dignity of martyrdom, prepared themselves for death, and implored the Lord of Glory to vouchsafe them a firm mind, and a patient disposition, to endure the trials and afflictions of martyrdom. After Fara’ûn had issued orders for the execution of these believers, Asia, the daughter of Mûrâhum, also openly made her profession of the faith, disputed with Fara’ûn, and endeavoured to convince him of the verity of the claims of Mûsa and of Harûn to prophecy. On this occasion Fara’ûn gave vent to the ill-feeling which he had a long time harboured against her for having educated Mûsa; and when he was punishing her severely, she besought the beneficent Lord and Granter of requests, saying: ‘O Lord, my house is with Thee in paradise! Save me from Fara’ûn and his works! Save me from the unrighteous people!’ Then a legion of exalted angels met her soul, and conveyed her victorious spirit in a howdah of light to the mansions of joy and tranquillity. When Fara’ûn perceived that a great multitude of Qabats had believed the words of Mûsa, as well as that the Esrâilites were boasting of him and rejoiced, the tyrant commanded the other Qabats to persecute the children of Esrâil, and to oppress them more than ever; therefore the latter took refuge with Mûsa, and said: ‘O prophet of Allah, before thou camest we were afflicted by the tyranny of this people, and were compelled to obey them; but according to the injunctions of our fathers and ancestors, we consoled ourselves with the expectation that thou wouldst arise to be our prophet, and we prognosticated deliverance and joy from thy presence. Now, however, when the age is adorned by the resplendent happiness of thy mission, we are suffering the insults of the Qabats as before; they persecute us now more intensely, and the hand of their infidelity and wickedness has become even more strong than formerly; hence we are greatly distressed, and can no longer bear our misery. Either allow us to flee or to disperse in the world, or give us permission to fight our enemies, or to devise some other plan to ensure our tranquillity.’ Mûsa consoled them much, and said: ‘Perhaps your Lord will destroy your foes, and will cause you to inherit the earth.’ When Mûsa, after all his preachings and admonitions, despaired that Fara’ûn and his adherents would obey, and make profession of the religion, he uttered an invocation with reference to those people, whereon the Lord and Creator of beings afflicted them with many plagues.²⁹⁴ The first of these was famine, which distressed the people of Fara’ûn during three years; then came the plague, by which many perished; with reference to this, however, people differ, some alleging that it was a deluge of water, and some that it consisted of hailstones and dews, whilst others are of opinion that it was a pestilence, by which, according to some, boils and sores are meant. It is said that the appearance of the small-pox in the world dates from that time. According to our opinion, that plague lasted seven days, when locusts made their appearance, and their depredations lasted seven days, during which they devastated all the harvests and fields. After the locusts the people were for seven days afflicted with the plague of lice, in such a way that all their ploughed fields, plants, trees and flowers, houses, rooms, beds, vessels, eatables, beverages, the limbs of their bodies, their fountains, and even their eyes were filled with them, so that the endurance and patience of the infidels became exhausted. With reference to this plague, also, different opinions are current, but the prevalent one is that it was an affliction by lice. After this they were tormented by the plague of frogs, and when, after the removal of these troubles, their infidelity and obstinacy again increased, the Most High transmuted the water of the Nile into blood for the Qabats, so that they tasted on one side fresh blood, whilst the sons of Esrâil drank pure water on the other, and it was impossible to avoid this calamity. This plague also lasted seven days, and when one of these afflictions appeared, the Qabats waited upon Mûsa, begging him to remove it, promising him to make profession of the religion after being delivered therefrom, and to leave the children of Esrâil alone. When, however, the Lord Mûsa had prayed, and the plague ceased, they relapsed into their former aberration and continued to injure the children of Esrâil. After Mûsa had for the seventh time invoked the Almighty, the rapacious animals of the desert attacked the Qabats during seven days, after the expiration whereof an epidemic attacked their cattle and quadrupeds for seven days more. Then the atmosphere became dark three days and nights, contrary winds were also blowing, and on this occasion the divine revelation was communicated to Mûsa to announce to his people the approach of the time when their foes would be destroyed, and that he should make a census, and lead out his whole nation from Egypt, to remain stationary on the seashore, until the Omnipotent Sovereign and Granter of requests would cause them to pass unscathed across the waves of the sea, in which Fara’ûn and his hosts would be destroyed.

Some have stated that Mûsa dwelt among the Qabats twenty years after the magicians had made their profession of the Faith, during which period of time he performed nine miracles. The learned assure us that all these plagues took place within the time of eleven months, and that they first afflicted the people during the month of Aiâr, and last in Adhâr, at the end of the eightieth year of the age of Mûsa. The most prevalent opinion, however, among historians is that these signs took place during three years and eleven months.

It is related that, at the instigation of Hâmân, Fara’ûn intended to kill Mûsa. When the latter heard of this intention, he prayed to the Omnipotent to frustrate this design, to harden the hearts of the people, and to seal up their breasts, so that they might incur a sore chastisement. Several commentators inform us that all the substances possessed by the Qabats were transmuted into stones, so that on the occasion when the Lord Mûsa uttered the request, all the bread that a woman was just baking became petrified. The Qabats then again went to Mûsa and pledged themselves that they would all follow his law if he were to beseech the Lord Most High to grant them all blessings as in former times. Mûsa prayed, and his orison was responded to; those obdurate wretches, however, persisted in their contumacy and rebellion, saying: ‘We shall not believe unless thou performest some miracle for the purpose of converting us from our religion; nor shall we have any faith in thy prophetic dignity.’ It is said that every time Mûsa displayed a miracle Fara’ûn was inclined to become his follower, but that the misguided seducer Hâmân dissuaded him, exclaiming: ‘Wilt thou become a slave after having been a master; and wilt thou be a servant after having been a lord?’ Accordingly Fara’ûn was, by the words of that accursed one, led astray from the right path, turned to the abyss of perdition, and incurred eternal damnation:

Distich:

The company of fools is empty like a pot. Within it is empty, and without black.

RECORD OF THE BUILDING OF FARA’ÛN’S CASTLE.

Collectors of traditions have narrated that when the affairs of Mûsa were in the ascendant, great multitudes believed in him; but Fara’ûn said: ‘I will have nothing to do with Mûsa; I desire to ascend to heaven and to obtain information about the God of Mûsa, and to fight him, because I see no one in the world more worthy to be adored than myself. I consider Mûsa to be a liar.’ Ideas like these prevailed in his unhallowed imagination, and he commanded Hâmân to erect a lofty castle, from which he might ascend to heaven. Accordingly Hâmân assembled skilful architects from all quarters, who collected all the necessary materials—such as stones, mortar, etc., and were for a long time engaged in building. One of the later writers has narrated—but the responsibility rests with him —that the castle [when completed] was so lofty that anyone wishing to mount to its summit was obliged to travel for a whole year [sic]. When the edifice had been completed, Fara’ûn went up, shot an arrow into the sky, and challenged the Lord of Magnificence, with His angels, to throw that arrow back upon him besmeared with blood. That accursed one actually laughed, saying: ‘Lo, I have killed the God of Mûsa.’ It is related that after Fara’ûn had left this tower Jebrâil touched it with the extremity of his wing, whereon it crumbled into three pieces, one of which fell on the encampment of his army, and annihilated many people; another fell into the country of the Maghrab,²⁹⁵ and every person connected in any way with the building perished. Several historians inform us that this castle had been constructed during the time of the nine signs, which were as follows: 1. The staff; 2. The bright hand; 3. The solving and knotting; 4. The retreating and division of the seas; 5. The inundation; 6. The locusts; 7. The lice; 8. The frogs; 9. The breath. Allah, however, is the most wise.

RECORD OF THE EXODUS OF MÛSA—U. W. B., ETC.—AND HARÛN—U. W. B., ETC.—FROM EGYPT. THE ESCAPE OF THE SONS OF ESRÂIL. THE DESTRUCTION OF FARA’ÛN AND HÂMÂN WITH THE QABATS, THEIR REBELLIOUS ADHERENTS.

When the Lord Mûsa was ordered to quit Egypt, he assembled the chiefs of the sons of Esrâil, declared to them the purport of the divine revelation, and ordered them to keep the whole nation in readiness for the journey. When they left the council and dispersed they endeavoured, during one month, to make the preparations necessary for their departure, but as every day a new obstacle sprang up, they were impeded from executing their designs. Mûsa convoked the notables of the children of Esrâil a second time, and inquired about the cause of the delay, whereon they replied: ‘All this happened because Yusuf had in his last days left the mandate, that when the children of Esrâil leave Egypt, they must take his sarcophagus along with them, and bury it in the sepulchre of his noble ancestors; but as during the lapse of time the place of Yusuf’s tomb has been forgotten, we do not know where it is.’ Mûsa— u. w. b., etc.—then enjoined them, by no means to slacken their researches and not to despair of seeing their efforts crowned with success. The people of Esrâil continued their inquiries, until at last they discovered an old woman who knew the place. As soon as Mûsa was informed of this news he summoned her to his presence, and asked her about the site of the tomb of Yusuf. The old hag answered: ‘I have also my desires. I wish to recover the youthfulness and the vigour of my adolescence, and wish to become thy companion in paradise. If thou wilt satisfy these demands I shall guide thee to the tomb of Yusuf.’ In obedience to an intimation from heaven, Mûsa pledged himself to assist her in her request, and in consequence of his prayers the woman obtained the blessing of youth. She then pointed out the locality of the tomb in the river Nile, the water of which receded therefrom by the invocations of the Lord Mûsa; and the spot having been dug up, the coffin of the veracious one, which was made of stone, or, according to another opinion, of dark-blue glass, made its appearance. The workmen then removed the sarcophagus to a safe place outside the city, returned to their homes, and the children of Esrâil engaged in preparations for their journey.

Many of the chief historians, however, assert that this coffin was discovered only during the night of the departure of the children of Esrâil. In short, when the sons of Esrâil had finished all their preparations and were ready to start, they borrowed, by the order of Mûsa, which he had received through a divine inspiration, great quantities of ornaments and jewellery from the Qabats, under the pretext of requiring them for marriage ceremonies. In this manner they accumulated so much property that it became difficult to transport it. As a sign of the exodus every one of the sons of Esrâil offered a sacrifice according to his ability, and smeared some of the blood of it upon the door of his house; this was called the Fasah²⁹⁶ sacrifice. They began to move at midnight, which is a time of rest for all people, and left Egypt with their families and children. They halted at the place where Yusuf’s coffin was, and when all the children of Esrâil had assembled in the locality, Mûsa ordered them to constitute themselves into an army, the opinions about whose numbers vary, one of them has, ever, been recorded previously in these pages. After the army had been divided into several parts, the Lord Mûsa appointed Harûn to take command of the vanguard, entrusted the right and the left wings to generals of the tribe of Yahuda and Lâvi, placed Yoshua’, the son of Nûn, and the nobles of the tribe of Yusuf and of Ebn Yâmin in the centre, while he himself walked in the rear of the army. This took place, according to the most prevalent tradition, on Sunday night, the 9th of the month Muharram. Some scholars, however, assert that the exodus of Mûsa from Egypt took place on Friday, the 15th of Nisân. On account of the great haste in which the people were, they baked unleavened bread and consumed it. The Jews celebrate and solemnize a festival on the Friday preceding the middle of the month Nisân, calling it the feast of unleavened bread, which is their greatest and principal holiday; and whoever partakes on that day of their unleavened bread which they bake like the flat bread-cakes of Moslems, they show him great favours.

When the sons of Esrâil left Egypt that night, they halted at a place which they called A’in-ush-shams, whence they marched to a locality named Baghâr, and remained there.

RECORD OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE QABATS THAT THE CHILDREN OF ESRÂIL HAD DEPARTED; FARA’ÛN’S PROCEEDING WITH HIS ARMY IN PURSUIT OF THEM, AND HIS REACHING [WITH HIS ARMY] THE FIRE BY WAY OF WATER.

When the Qabats arose on the morning of the 9th of Muharram from their sleep, and perceived none of the children of Esrâil, they guessed what had taken place, and nearly went mad on account of the loss of their property. They shouted, lamented, hastened to the palace of Fara’ûn, and informed him of the event. He ordered his army to assemble and wished to march that very moment in pursuit of the children of Esrâil, but as an unexpected calamity had overtaken the families of the Qabats, in that most of their maidens and wives migrated to the abode of perdition, the intention could not be executed [on that day]. The next morning, which was the 10th of Muharram and the eve of the adversity [to come], Fara’ûn marched with an innumerable army in all haste after Mûsa.²⁹⁷ When six hours of the day had elapsed, the vanguard of Fara’ûn’s army approached the left wing of Mûsa’s host; the children of Esrâil perceived the impending danger, and exclaimed: ‘O prophet of Allah, the enemy has arrived, and we shall undoubtedly be made prisoners.’

Mûsa replied: ‘The Creator—whose name be exalted and sanctified—has announced to me success and victory, and His promises are true. Be not dismayed, for this moment we shall be rejoiced.’ Then Jebrâil the faithful descended and brought a revelation, saying: ‘Smite the sea with thy staff.’²⁹⁸ Mûsa then raised his hands in prayer, and said: ‘My God! Thee we praise and to Thee we complain. Thou art our refuge. There is no power nor strength except with God the Most High and Great.’ After he had terminated this prayer, he struck his staff on the sea, exclaiming: ‘Be thou divided, O father of Khâled [sic], by the permission of Allah the Most High.’ That very moment the sea became divided into twelve streets, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Esrâil, having between them walls of water standing out in the air like twelve vaults. The breeze of grace blew, the sun of the favour of God shone, and the bottom of the sea became dry forthwith. The tribes entered their respective streets, and on account of the transparency of the partitions they were able to see each other. There is a tradition which informs us, that on account of the apprehensions entertained by the sons of Esrâil, because they could not see their clansmen, the waters between each tribe were, by the prayers of the Lord Mûsa, so reticulated that all the tribes had a mutual view of each other. Mûsa remained on the shore until some of the people of Esrâil had entered the sea, whereon he likewise stepped in by order of Jebrâil, and within the time of four hours all the people of Mûsa had, through that dreadful sea, crossed over to the shore of safety. When Fara’ûn had arrived and beheld the sea in that condition he began to tremble from the intensity of his terror, being amazed at the power of the Omniscient Sovereign, and at the prodigy of the Lord Mûsa. Plunged in astonishment at the sight of the passages through the water, he vacillated between the idea of returning to Egypt or adopting the religion of Mûsa, and began to consult Hâmân concerning these two points, but that accursed and unhallowed individual dissuaded Fara’ûn from his [good] intention, and said: ‘As thou hast during four hundred years reigned over the inhabitants of the world as a god and sovereign, enjoying the rank of a deity and supreme ruler, wouldst thou not be ashamed to allow Mûsa and the sons of Esrâil to cross this water by sorcery, and wouldst thou retreat in order to allow them to escape, and to let thy shame become a matter of history unto all generations? After all, what else can we suppose but that this water has stood up for fear of thee, and has thus been split up on account of thy great wrath? Let us try to overtake the sons of Esrâil, and so revenge ourselves upon them.’ Fara’ûn succumbed to the deceitful words of Hâmân, and having been misled by the delirious suggestions of his wazir, transgressed the ways of reason, and alighting in his arrogance from his courser, he leapt into the sea and was followed by his entire army. Some assert that on the said day the number of Fara’ûn’s army amounted to one million and seven hundred thousand men. It is also related that on the above occasion Jebrâil preceded the vanguard of Fara’ûn’s army, mounted on a mare, the smell of which allured all the horses to follow her into the depths of the sea, whilst [the angel] Michael was in the rear of the misguided host, and kept the stragglers close to the army. When the vanguard of the Qabats had nearly reached the [opposite] shore, and the rearguard had likewise entered the sea, the particles of water united with each other by the mandate of God, and having become one volume they destroyed the obdurate and the rebellious.²⁹⁹

It is recorded in the ‘Labâb-ut-tafâsir’ that once upon a time the waters of the Nile had disappeared, and that the people went to Fara’ûn for the purpose of causing them to flow as before. Fara’ûn then ordered every one of his attendants and servants to mount a horse and to proceed to the plain, where the Amirs and notables of the kingdom also took their stations. Fara’ûn himself retired from the people, alighted from his horse in a secluded spot, prostrated himself on the ground, spread out the carpet of petition, represented his helplessness to the Lord of Magnificence, and forwarded the request of the Qabats to the Lord of lords. The Most High responded, and sent Jebrâil to Fara’ûn, to ask him the following question: ‘What will be the reward of that servant who has become great by the favour of his Omnipotent Nourisher, but has afterwards rebelled and sinned against Him, laying claims even to the grandeur of a deity?’ Fara’ûn then handed to Jebrâil a page, of which the following were the contents: ‘This is what Ab-ul-A’bbâs Alvalid, the son of Ma’sab, of the dynasty of Riân, says, “The reward of a slave who disobeys his Lord and becomes ungrateful to Him is to be drowned in the sea.”’ Jebrâil took the writing from him and returned, but when Fara’ûn was being drowned, he showed and read it out to him. Fara’ûn, who had become certain of his destruction, now exclaimed: ‘I believe that there is no God but He in whom the children of Esrâil believe.’ But as faith, extorted by terror, is not acceptable at the palace of monotheism, Jebrâil took up a handful of mud from the bottom of the sea, struck him therewith on the mouth and said: ‘Now [dost thou believe], though thou hast been hitherto rebellious and one of the wicked doers?’³⁰⁰

Distich:

An infidel slave showing faith Is, according to wisdom, far from God.

RECORD OF THE STATE OF THE BELIEVERS AFTER THE
DESTRUCTION OF FARA’ÛN AND THE QABATS.

When Fara’ûn had, on the 10th of Muharram, passed with his whole army, by way of water, into the fire of hell, and the children of Esrâil, who escaped them, had come out from the sea, ten hours of the day had elapsed. Till that time they had eaten nothing, and remained fasting the whole of that day; and among the Jews the 10th of Muharram is to this day set apart as a solemn fast.

After the Fara’ûnites had been drowned, they appeared on the surface of the sea, that the children of Esrâil might behold the state of their enemies, believe in the prophetic dignity of Mûsa, and in the perfection of the creator of mankind. It is said that during ten days the waves of the sea were boisterous, till they threw the corpses of Fara’ûn and of his adherents upon the shore. As the drowned people had many garments and costly articles upon their bodies, the children of Esrâil made haste to despoil them, and although Mûsa had admonished them not to be too greedy for plunder, and to be content with what they had brought away during the night of the exodus, they would not mind his words, and ceased not their efforts until at last those riches became a cause of affliction to the people through the instrumentality of Sâmeri,³⁰¹ as shall be narrated—if it pleaseth Allah—in its proper place.

It is related that on the 12th of Muharram, Mûsa selected Yoshua’, the son of Nûn, and sent him with twenty-four thousand men to Egypt. When they arrived in that country, they took possession of everything the Qabats had left, carried off all their movable property, and sent it to the Lord Mûsa. They also disposed of the gardens, cultivated fields, with all goods and chattels. They sold some, and retained some; they likewise appointed a Qabat to be governor of the residue of that nation, and then returned. When Yoshua’ had arrived, the children of Esrâil left the sea-shore and began to travel. They were preceded in the day by a cloud which overshadowed them, and in the night by a pillar of light that was in their vanguard, so that they marched by the aid thereof.³⁰² When they had progressed three stages from the sea-coast, they arrived in a place called Marira,³⁰³ which contained bitter water; the children of Esrâil besought Mûsa to make it potable, whereon his lordship directed them by divine command to throw grass into the spring, and it became sweet. As they were marching they happened to pass near a locality inhabited by numerous A’mâlekites, who possessed some idols in the shape of cows and calves, which they worshipped. After the children of Esrâil had seen them they went to Mûsa, and opening the mouth of petition, said: ‘We ought likewise to have some statues, in the similitude of these idols, that we may adore them, and seek to approach the Lord and Omniscient Sovereign by the mediation of these figures.’ Mûsa, being highly grieved at this proposal, said: ‘Do you want another God besides Allah, who has exalted you above all the inhabitants of the world?’ The pious among the children of Esrâil wept when they heard the warning of Mûsa, and the unwise among them repented, begging to be excused, whereon Mûsa interceded, and God Almighty pardoned them. Some of the chief historians narrate that the children of Esrâil asked Mûsa, after they had been forgiven, that as the Lord of Unity had not punished them for this crime, they might be permitted to show their repentance in some way. Mûsa then prayed, and afterwards informed them that the mandate was as follows: ‘You shall go to Syria and shall conquer it. When you enter Ariha [Jericho], which is one of the towns of Syria, you shall humbly prostrate yourselves and implore the Forgiving Lord to pardon your sins, whereon you are to walk in the path of repentance and deprecation.’ The wisdom of that command being that the inhabitants of that city, who were idolators, should, on witnessing the humility, obedience, and supplications of the children of Esrâil, renounce their unhallowed customs. When the people of Mûsa arrived at the gates of Ariha, the pious among them did as they had been bidden, but the wicked exclaimed, ‘Hatti samaqatha,’ and scoffed in every possible way at the command. The meaning of the words ‘Hatti samaqatha,’ in the Nabatæan language, is ‘red wheat’; hence the Almighty sent an epidemic upon those ill-disposed people, in consequence whereof twenty-four thousand of their nobles and magnates perished in one hour. Mûsa then again prayed in concert with the pious and the religious. By the blessing of their devotions, their petitions were heard, and this affliction was removed from them. According to some histories, this catastrophe took place after the conquest of Ariha, but this opinion seems to be unfounded, because that land was subdued in the time of Yoshua’, the son of Nûn, after the children of Esrâil had ceased their wanderings, as will be narrated in these pages—if it pleaseth Allah—when the state of Ariha is to be described. The children of Esrâil were for a long time following the law of Ebrahim, and the religion of the Friend [of God], until the time when the Lord Mûsa— u. w. b., etc.—ascended Mount Sinai, at the request of the children of Esrâil, and established a new law.

RECORD OF THE GOING OF MÛSA—U. W. B., ETC.—TO MOUNT SINAI; HIS BEING ADDRESSED BY THE DIVINE ALLOCUTION; THE DESCENT OF THE TABLES OF THE LAW; THE SOJOURN OF THE CHILDREN OF ESRÂIL IN THE DESERT DURING MANY YEARS, AND SÂMERI’S SEDUCING THEM.

As the children of Esrâil were greatly importuning the Lord Mûsa—u. w. b., etc.—to give them a separate law, which they might observe, and by the aid thereof acquire divine favour, the Lord Mûsa—u. w. b., etc.—addressed his petition with reference to this subject to the Lord of Unity, whereon this allocution came: ‘It will be necessary for thee to approach Mount Sinai, and to fast thirty days, that thou mayest obtain thy desire, and that thy wish may be gratified.’ Mûsa then said to the children of Esrâil: ‘I shall go to Mount Sinai, and intend to remain there for some time; do you likewise move towards the desert of Sin, take up your position there, engage in adoring the Most High, and wait for my return. I hope He will grant you a fresh religion and a new law.’ Then Mûsa appointed Harûn to be his successor in the government of the people until his return. When the children of Esrâil heard from Mûsa that the Lord of Magnificence had promised to converse with him on the mountain, they requested him to be allowed to despatch several individuals of each tribe to accompany him, so that they might likewise be ennobled by learning the sublime words of God, and that the memory of this propitious event might be perpetuated among the descendants of Ya’qûb—u. w. b., etc.—from generation to generation. Mûsa complied with their request, and selected from among the twelve tribes seventy pious and wise men to go with him.

Another tradition is, that these seventy men went with Mûsa for the sake of propitiation and deprecation to Mount Sinai, after the people had worshipped the [molten] calf. In the ‘Labâb-ut-tafâsir’ it is recorded that the going of these seventy individuals took place, because on a certain occasion Mûsa had gone with Harûn to the mountain for the purpose of devotion, and that on the said occasion Harûn died suddenly. When the people again saw Mûsa they accused him of having slain his brother; therefore he took, for the purpose of justifying himself, seventy men to the mountain, and prayed that Harûn might again be resuscitated to life, which request having been responded to, the skirts of his lordship’s innocence were purified from the mire of suspicion. The above traditions may perhaps be reconciled by assuming, that on both these occasions the said seventy men had accompanied his lordship.

In short, when Mûsa proceeded to the mountain, he ordered the people to move in the direction of the desert of Sin. Accordingly the cloud, which was constantly throwing its shadow upon the heads of the children of Esrâil, began to move towards the plain of Sin; following the cloud with cheerfulness, and marching till they reached the appointed place, they halted, waiting for the return of Mûsa.³⁰⁴ After Mûsa had left his people, he remained, according to one tradition, from the first of Zilqa’da during a whole month, on the heights of Sinai, never ceasing his devotions, fasting in the day, watching in the night, and constantly praising God. Jebrâil then descended and brought the divine revelation, that yet ten days more were required to complete the appointed time. Mûsa assented, but thereby failed in his promise to return, wherefore the fools among the children of Esrâil congregated around Harûn, and said: ‘The days, after which thy brother promised to return, have elapsed, and till now we possess no news either of him, or about the chiefs of our people; it is possible that Mûsa has killed them, or may do so. What is the remedy in this emergency, and how can this embarrassment be removed?’ Sâmeri, being aware of their imperfect understandings, made use of this opportunity to seduce them, and said: ‘O my people, I know why Mûsa has not kept his promise, and why he has not come.’ The children of Esrâil inquired, and Sâmeri continued: ‘Mûsa was displeased when he separated from you, and the cause of his displeasure is, that when after the drowning of the Qabats you took their property and disposed of the spoils, you have not been warned by the prohibition of the prophet of Allah; therefore he now avoids you, that he may not be present in case any misfortune should befall the people of Esrâil on account of their disobedience, or become a sharer in their troubles and afflictions. It is possible that he will become reconciled to you, and that he will speedily return, in case you should be willing to part with your riches.’ The Jews who believed these words of Sâmeri dug a well, and throwing into it whatever they had taken without the permission of Mûsa, covered the top of it. Sâmeri then continued his wicked proposals, saying: ‘Mûsa will not return to you until you burn all that property.’ They again complied with his wish, opened the well, threw fire into it, and gave everything dissolvable to Sâmeri—who knew the trade of a goldsmith—that he might melt it. That chief of seducers then liquefied all the silver and gold, of which he made a calf,³⁰⁵ into whose abdomen he placed a little dirt, which he had gathered from under the hoofs of the horse of Jebrâil when the Fara’ûnites were destroyed. The golden calf immediately commenced to bleat; but according to another tradition this figure was transmuted into flesh and bones, with skin and feet. After this strange event, Sâmeri said to the people: ‘This calf is your god, and the omnipotent nourisher of Mûsa. Worship it, and pray to it that Mûsa may again send you back the chieftains of your tribes.’ Being led astray by this foolish suggestion, they girded their loins to adore the calf, except twelve thousand men of the tribes of Yusuf and Ben Yâmin, who refrained from that opprobrious act, blamed the people, and refused to comply with their wishes. Harûn was likewise, despite all his admonitions, unable to effect anything, although he never ceased reproaching the people till they threatened to expel or to murder him. Mûsa, who had remained with those seventy men engaged in prayer on Mount Sinai, knew nothing of what had taken place, until forty days had elapsed, namely, from the beginning of Zilqa’da till the tenth of Zilhajja, or, according to another tradition, from the beginning of Zilhajja till the tenth of Muharram. Then Mûsa hastened on the forty-first day— which was, according to the beliefs of Jews and Christians, the first day of the fifth month—before his companions to the place of worship, and a subtle cloud intervening between him and them, he disappeared from their sight. The Lord Most High spoke to him without the intervention of palate or tongue, gave him the tables of the ten commandments that contained the nucleus and principles of religion and laws, and rejoiced the sons of Esrâil with a new Law. It is recorded in some histories, that when Mûsa the speaker [with God] had on that occasion ascended Mount Sinai, after the completion of the forty days, he asked in his prayers to behold God, but his request was not granted.

It is related in creditable books, that when the veil [of the cloud] was removed, Mûsa became visible to the people, and expounded to them the contents of the tables, with the details of the commandments of religion, they replied: ‘Our object in undergoing so many hardships, and the intention of the community of Esrâilites in sending us was, that we might likewise be made happy by hearing the divine words and might bear witness of them to our people.’ Mûsa, therefore, prayed with reference to this subject and his request was granted, whereon, all of a sudden the same subtle cloud appeared, and enveloped Mûsa with his seventy companions. All heard the divine voice, and were gratified by listening to the words that were written upon the ten [sic] tables. When the veil was removed the companions of Mûsa began to contend with each other, and said: ‘We shall not believe thee by merely hearing the words, unless we behold the Speaker Himself with our own eyes.’ After they had thus vented their feelings, a black cloud made its appearance, various great and terrible phenomena manifested themselves, lightnings and an earthquake took place, and those who desired to see the Governor of the Universe, were transmitted into non-existence. Mûsa was astonished at their unbelief, and wondered at the suspicions of the sons of Esrâil; he therefore prayed until the Lord of Glory again invested them with the robe of life and they repented of their acts and sayings, believed the words of Mûsa, and obeyed the laws of the Almighty Lord. The Lord Mûsa remained three days longer and prayed, until God—w. n. b. e.—sent him two other tables, made of gems and containing evident signs [i.e. miracles] written with the pen of light. Then he took the tables and proceeded with those seventy men to the people. When the Lord, who knows all secrets, had informed Mûsa that the Esrâilites were worshipping a calf, his wrath was incensed, and when he arrived among the people, he first began to upbraid Harûn, and then the perfidious nation; and when anger towards Sâmeri had overpowered his blessed nature, he threw the tables upon the ground so that some of them were broken.³⁰⁶ He also took hold of Harûn’s beard and head, which he drew towards himself; but Harûn said: ‘O son of my mother, the children of Esrâil have not regarded me, and well-nigh killed me.’ Mûsa rejoined: ‘When thou sawest that the people did not obey thee, why didst thou not leave them, and come to me?’ Harûn continued: ‘O son of my mother, do not hold me by my beard nor by my head. I feared thou wouldest say, “Why hast thou abandoned the children of Esrâil, and hast not regarded my words? Cause not my foes to rejoice over me, and place me not with the wicked people.”’ When Mûsa had become convinced of Harûn’s inability [to resist the idolatrous intentions of the people] he apologized to him, and also interceding for him said: ‘O Lord, forgive me and my brother, and receive us into Thy mercy; for Thou art the most merciful of those who practise mercy.’³⁰⁷ Mûsa looked at the sons of Esrâil and all the calf-worshippers became ashamed, drooping their heads. His lordship then said: ‘Our God has made a good promise to you, has called me to adore Him, and has sent a book to you. During the short time, however, I was separated from you, the covenant seemed long to you, and you have broken your promise.’ Then the sons of Esrâil unanimously accused Sâmeri of having seduced them, but confessed also their own guilt and sin. Mûsa called Sâmeri, examined him concerning the circumstances of the case, and Sâmeri said: ‘I have seen Jebrâil, and have taken a handful of dirt from under the hoof of his horse. I have for a long time desired to mislead the children of Esrâil, and when I obtained the opportunity to do so, I placed the dirt into the body of the calf, whereon it gave forth a sound, and these fools, having deflected from the straight road, the intention of my mind was fulfilled.’ Mûsa said: ‘O Sâmeri, I shall not kill thee, but may no one feel amity for thee or become thy companion in this world, until the chastisement due to thee reaches thee in the next [sic].’ Then the sons of Esrâil congregated around Mûsa and craved pardon. After Mûsa had addressed his prayers to the Almighty, the mandate was issued to kill [the idolaters]. Therefore, disputes arose among the children of Esrâil, many of whom were inclined, and many were not inclined, to obey the said mandate, saying: ‘As we have not worshipped the calf, why should we consent to be killed?’ This uproar and quarrelling continued until Mûsa burnt up the calf, by the command of the Lord of Unity, and throwing its ashes into the sea ordered every one of the people to drink of the water thereof.³⁰⁸ No sign appeared upon the obedient [after the people had drank], but the tongue of every one of the rebels was marked with a golden point. Then the command was issued that those twelve thousand men who had not worshipped the calf should take up their swords and exterminate the calf-worshippers. The latter accordingly put on their funeral shrouds, made their last wills, turned their faces towards the Qiblah; then wailing and lamentation rose from the children of Esrâil, those twelve thousand men performed their work of decapitation, and the awfulness of the resurrection appeared to be at hand. It is related that on the said occasion a black vapour covered them, to prevent their seeing each other, so that the father might not spare his son, nor the latter his father, and that the execution of God’s command might not be delayed. During the carnage Mûsa, Harûn, the pious, the weak, the children and the aged of the people bared their necks, and prostrated themselves in adoration, humiliation, and lamentation. According to one tradition that catastrophe lasted from morn to noon, and according to another, it ended after the expiration of three days and nights. So many were killed that rivers of blood flowed. According to the first tradition the number of the slain amounted to seventy thousand, and according to the second to three hundred and twenty thousand individuals. When the appointed time had expired, their swords no longer operated, and by no efforts could any more of the people be slain. When Mûsa heard this news he knew that divine pardon had been awarded to the [rest of the] criminals; he therefore ordered the executioners to sheath their swords and to cease the carnage. After that Mûsa went on the 18th of Tamûz up to Mount Sinai to intercede for the nation. He prayed there forty days, and after returning to his people on the 27th of the month of Ab, he again went to Mount Sinai, and humbled himself during forty days [more] in prayer, until the Lord God Almighty gave him two other tables, instead of those which he had broken to pieces under the influence of his wrath. The belief of the Jews and Christians is that the descent of these tables took place on the 10th of Tashrin the first which they call ‘the day of hearts’; they consider it a very solemn day and fast. After that the Mosaic Law descended [from heaven] in forty volumes, but more correctly after these forty three additional ones descended; and the first forty which his lordship obtained when he went to Mount Sinai for the purpose of seeing [God] are called the ‘forty Miqât.’ It is said that during the forty days he was sitting there he never got up, and the second forty days are called ‘the quarantine of intercession,’ during the whole time of which he was engaged in adoration. The third forty days are called the ‘quarantine of supplication,’ during the whole period of which he was standing, until the Most High gave him the tables. Theologians differ about the ten commandments which were written on the tables, but the most correct and the most current opinion is here recorded as follows:

TEXT OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WHICH WERE ON THE
TABLES OF THE LAW.³⁰⁹

‘There is no God besides Me, therefore worship Me and do not associate with Me anything [in the shape of idols]. Thank Me and thy parents, and I shall cause thee to live [long]. Thou shalt not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden except justly; or else the heavens with all their extent, and the earth with all its surface, will become too narrow for thee. Do not swear falsely by My name, for I shall neither purify nor justify anyone who does not magnify My name. Do not bear testimony about things which thy ear has not heard, thy eye has not seen, or thy heart has not perceived, for I shall hold all witnesses responsible for their testimonies on the day of resurrection, and I shall examine them on this account. Envy not thy fellow-men for any blessings or bounties I may have vouchsafed to them, because an envious person is a foe to the receiver of My benefits, and provokes My vengeance. Do not commit adultery, and do not steal, because My favour will become veiled, and the portals of heaven will be shut to thy prayers. Sacrifice not to anyone besides Me, because a sacrifice will not be accepted unless My name be pronounced over it. Do not covet thy neighbour’s wife, for it is as hateful to Me as incest.³¹⁰ People love that which thou lovest, and hate what thou hatest. Peace be on thee, with My commiseration and blessing!’

The above is the text of the ten commandments, as Tha’lebi has related in the ‘A’râis-ulqasas.’ The Lord— w. n. b. pr.—revealed the contents of these words in the verses of the glorious Forqân,³¹¹ as follows: ‘Say, come, I shall rehearse to you what your Lord has prohibited: You shall not associate anything with Him; you shall honour your parents, you shall not kill your infants for fear of want, [Allah says]: We shall nourish you and them; avoid open and mental lasciviousness; do not kill the soul which Allah has prohibited, except justly. This is a command to you, perhaps you will understand it. Do not touch the property of orphans, except righteously, until they attain maturity. Observe justice in your measures and weights, and do not injure any one but you repair it. Keep your promises also to your relatives, and satisfy the covenant with Allah, perhaps you will remember it; for this is the straight path, follow it, and do not follow other roads, because they will mislead you; this is your command, and perhaps you will fear [Allah].’³¹²

RECORD OF MÛSA’S—U. W. B., ETC.—GOING TO MOUNT SINAI FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASKING TO SEE [GOD]. THE GRANTING OF THE MOSAIC LAW.

After the Lord Mûsa had been several times to Mount Sinai, had completed his quarantines, had been honoured by conversing [with God] and by obtaining the Tables of the Law, he became more familiar with the mansion of the Lord of Unity. Then the aspiration originated in his mind, that as he had been made happy by various blessings vouchsafed unto him by the Almighty, to covet the most perfect and final grace by which he might become exalted over all the other prophets and inspired messengers. With this intention he first most scrupulously performed the ceremonies of the internal and external purification, such as the ablutions of his body, cleansing his garments and the amelioration of his behaviour, as the saying is:

After that he opened the mouth of adoration, sanctification, and laudation, turned the face of his intention towards Mount Sinai, and after traversing the distance, he arrived in the Vâdi Aimen. A veil of darkness extending to a distance of seven Farsakhs surrounded him, and the demon of sensual appetites, who is appointed over the souls of all the prophets, abandoned him. The reptiles and insects of the earth concealed themselves underground; his two guardian angels obtained leave and separated from him; they, however, afterwards lifted up the curtain of the invisible world from before his eyes, and showed him the inhabitants of the heavenly mansions, the bearers of the throne, the empyrean abode, and the Preserved Table. After the graces of the beauties of the heavens, and the works of God had made their impressions upon his capacious mind, and he had enjoyed the wonderful spectacles of the world of spheres, and the extraordinary shapes of the pure spirits, he hastened to the conversation with the Lord of Unity and the Sovereign of Eternity, aspiring, in his superabundance of gratitude and immense longing, to behold the Inscrutable One:

When Mûsa had given vent to his aspirations, the allocution reached him: ‘O son of E’mrân, thy aspirations are lofty, and thou hast manifested a great desire. Knowest thou not that a decaying body and a perishable eye cannot see immortal beauty? Go, however, from this locality to yonder spot; sit there and look at the mountain. If thou wilt abide in that place, thou wilt soon behold Me.’ When Mûsa—u. w. b., etc.—had taken his position at the site pointed out to him, the angels of heaven were ordered to alight near Mount Sinai, and again to show themselves to Mûsa in their astonishing forms and wonderful positions, in various series and diverse shapes. Accordingly legions of exalted angels and celestial spirits of awful countenance and terrible aspect descended, chanting hymns of praise, so that Mûsa began to hear fearful voices, and to see powerful radiations, in consequence whereof his lordship was so overwhelmed with fright that he repented of his request. All the angels prostrated themselves in adoration, and the mountain was split in twain; Mûsa then fainted, and did not recover himself during three days. The author of the ‘Takalam-ul-lutâif’ relates that on the occasion when Mûsa fainted, some of the company of angels glanced at him, and said: ‘O son of a menstruating woman, thou hast asked the Lord for a great thing at an unfit season.’ Though the body of Mûsa was prostrated, his heart was conscious. He was moved by the voice [he had just heard], excused himself, craved pardon, was sorry, and repented of his boldness. Anus Bin Mâlik says that the mountain fell into six pieces, three of which alighted near Madinah, and they are Ohod, Raqa and Radzui; three fell near Mekkah, and they are Thûr, Zobair and Har. When Mûsa was performing the ceremonies of penitence and conversion, the allocution reached him: ‘O Mûsa, I have elected thee to be the inspired messenger of My words to mankind; take, therefore, what is given to thee and be grateful.’ After that, the mandate was issued to Jebrâil to go to the uppermost paradise, and to bring nine tables of green emeralds, and nine sprigs of the lote-tree beyond which there is no passing,³¹⁴ and to surrender them to the hands of the Lord of Magnificence. After he had fulfilled the command, the Lord of the Glory of unity completed, with the hand of omnipotence and grace, the Book of the Mosaic Law, with its commands and prohibitions, promises and threats, counsels and admonitions. Mûsa, the speaker [with God] —to whom be greetings and salutations—manifested his fervent gratitude, and after he had been invested with the honour of being elected and approved, he returned to his people, whom he assembled, showed them the nine [sic] tables, explained the commands and prohibitions with the whole contents of those pages, and invited them to conform to, and obey all the injunctions. The children of Esrâil, however, refused to accept these commandments, saying: ‘We have heard, but we shall not obey.’ The Lord Mûsa, being greatly distressed by this rebellious spirit, prayed to the Lord of Magnificence, who then ordered Jebrâil to pull up one of the mountains of the country of Filisteen [Palestine], and to hold it over the encampment of the Esrâilites. Mûsa then turned his face towards them and said: ‘O people, if you receive the book of the Lord, you will be delivered of this affliction, or else this mountain will fall upon your heads, and you will all perish.’ They refused and began to run in all directions, but as they were not able to find any refuge whatever, they prostrated themselves in adoration and accepted the Mosaic Law, because they had determined to rebel again as soon as the mountain receded from above their heads. They were kneeling with one half of their faces towards the mountain, and the other half upon the ground, humbling themselves and worshipping. Divine service is to the present day still being performed among the Jews in this manner [sic]. At last the Esrâilites complied and accepted the law, whereon the mountain was removed from above their heads; they, however, came to Mûsa and requested him to lighten their troubles and burdens, which were greater than they could bear. Mûsa implored the Lord, who accordingly made easy the hard matters commanded in the Mosaic Law, and condensed all the commandments into six hundred and thirteen ordinances. Then Mûsa led the children of Esrâil into the vicinity of Balla and Egypt—the eastern limits whereof belong to Syria—as far as its western frontier which is the country of Andalûs [Andalusia in Spain!] and gave it into their possession. God the Most High has said: ‘And we have caused those who were weakened to inherit the east of the land, and the west of it, in which we have been. And the good word of thy Lord was fulfilled on the children of Esrâil, because they were patient. And we have extirpated Fara’ûn and his people, and that which they enthroned.’

RECORD OF THE ERECTION OF THE ARK OF THE TESTIMONY; THE DELIVERANCE OF HARÛN, U. W. B., ETC., AND THE STORY OF THE COW, WITH THE EVENTS WHICH HAPPENED ON THAT OCCASION.

In the month Tashrin the first, which was the seventh month of the eighty-first year of the age of Mûsa, u. w. b., etc., the mandate of the Lord arrived to construct an ark,³¹⁵ and to deposit therein the tables containing the ten commandments, to erect above the ark a cupola thirty cubits long and ten broad, and to leave around it a court one hundred cubits long and fifty broad, and that, after all these arrangements had been completed, the ark to be entrusted to Harûn and to his sons. Mûsa then issued orders according to the command he had received; the ark was prepared of red gold, the cupola of brocade of seven different colours, and around it gold-embroidered curtains were suspended. All the vessels were made of gold and silver, and inlaid with precious jewels and exquisite rubies. The box containing the Tables was surnamed ‘the Ark of the Testimony,’ the cupola was called ‘the Temple,’ and the court, with its appendages, bore the name of ‘the Holy House.’ The place for Harûn, for the Emâms, and for the descendants of Harûn, was appointed within the courtyard around the Temple. The places of sacrifice, of fumigation and of perfumes, were also fixed. When the construction of the holy house had been finished, a brilliant light descended from heaven and surrounded that courtyard, the circuit whereof was permeated by a thin and pure cloud. The radiation and splendour of its light were so dazzling that no created being, except Mûsa and Harûn, could go in and out of that place. The light within the cupola was more intense than that of the court, and on the 23rd day of the month Adar, Mûsa ordered the children of Esrâil to make sacrifice; he offered it also personally during seven days, and was engaged in that occupation till the end of the month Adar. When the morn of the 8th day, which was the beginning of the month Nisân, dawned, the Lord Mûsa called Harûn, transferred to him the Emâmship and Khalifate,³¹⁶ and this dignity remained in the family of Harûn from generation to generation. He also appointed him over the arrangements connected with the illuminations, lamps, fumigations with incense, the characteristic marks of office-bearers, etc. He called all the children of Esrâil to bear witness, forbade them to rebel against Harûn and his children, and enjoined it to be lawful to exterminate those who would disobey him and his descendants. After that they offered sacrifice, upon which fire from heaven descended, and consumed it all. The Jews solemnize this day and attribute many virtues to it, because it is Sunday and the anniversary on which the creation of the world had begun. It is the first week and the beginning of the first month of the year. It is also the first day on which the people assembled and paid a visit to the holy house. It is the first day on which they offered sacrifice for the governorship and successorship of Harûn, when the fire came down and devoured all the sacrifices. The children of Esrâil were on this day very happy and joyous, and Harûn was perfectly satisfied after obtaining the highest dignity; but a great misfortune happened, which became an occasion of grief and sorrow to many. Two sons of Harûn were to become his worthy successors, and had, on the occasion when fire descended from heaven and devoured the sacrifice, with the greatest propriety requested their father to be allowed to fill the censer with incense and to set it up in the congregation. After obtaining permission, they took some fire not pertaining to the holy house, placed it on the incense, and at that very moment a smoke arose from the censer, ascended into their brains, and entirely consumed the internal parts of those two descendants of prophets, without producing any outward signs. Mûsa, Harûn, and all the children of Esrâil were much distressed by this catastrophe. They were sad and melancholy, but at last took hold of the skirts of patience, and interred both the corpses in their garments as they were. The next day Harûn appointed his other son, whose name was Ab-ul-ghâzâr, to be his successor, and on the same day A’amil, the son of Rahîl, was killed. A’amil was one of the children of Esma’il, distinguished by great riches and possessions. He had poor nephews to whom he gave nothing; therefore two of them killed him secretly with their swords, for the sake of his riches. When the night set in, they threw the corpse between two tribes of the children of Esrâil, and at dawn the assassins were found sitting in mourning apparel and [pretending to be] inquiring about the murderer. When the event had been reported to Mûsa, and the culprits had not been discovered, he divided the inheritance in the same way as is done also under the law of our own prophet; nevertheless a dispute arose among the people, and they said to Mûsa: ‘As the murderer of A’amil is not known to anyone, except to Him who is aware of the secrets of the visible and the invisible world, He ought to be implored to make him known.’ Mûsa accordingly prayed, and a revelation came that a cow must be slaughtered and the corpse be struck with a piece of the flesh thereof, in order to resuscitate it to life, whereon it would reveal the homicide.³¹⁷ The children of Esrâil then endeavoured to find a cow, and after they had asked concerning the qualities of the animal, Jebrâil descended and informed them that, as they were embarrassed about her specialities, they should find one which was neither old nor young, of yellow colour, which had never ploughed or drawn water, whose neck had borne no yoke, who had not pastured in an impure place, and who had from her birth till this day never been harrassed with any toilsome work. After much trouble the sons of Esrâil found a cow endowed with the required characteristics. As the owner of the animal was a poor devout youth who made his livelihood by gathering wood, the people imagined that on account of his necessities and indigent condition, he would part with the cow for a small price. They pressed him to sell it; drove up the price from three dirhems to one thousand, and then to a hundred thousand; lastly they agreed to fill the hide of the cow with pure gold. Mûsa then reproved the people, and said: ‘Because you are so anxious in all matters, they become difficult. Now, make haste to purchase the cow for the price you have settled, or else you will have to give an account of this discord on the day of the resurrection.’ Then the children of Esrâil paid the price, slaughtered the cow, struck the corpse of A’amil with a piece of the flesh, whereon it revived and sat up straight. Mûsa then asked: ‘Who has slain thee?’ He replied: ‘My nephews.’ Therefore his lordship the speaker [with Allah] got the murderers executed, and that very moment A’amil again expired. The Jews assert that the cow was burnt, and her ashes given to the descendants of Harûn— who became leaders of the people—that they might on any future occasion, when an event like the one just mentioned occurred, take some of the ashes, and by throwing them on the person murdered, ascertain who had perpetrated the deed; and this miracle continued for a long time to be repeated among the children of Esrâil.

RECORD OF THE REMOVAL OF THE CHILDREN OF ESRÂIL FROM THE DESERT OF SIN TO FÂRÂN. EXPLANATION OF THE STORY OF QÂRÛN, HIS TERRIBLE PUNISHMENT, AND OTHER EVENTS WHICH HAPPENED AT THAT TIME.

It is related in the histories of the Jews, that the Lord Most High had ordained them to keep the feast of the Passover on Wednesday the 4th of the month Nisân, which was the second year of the exodus of the children of Esrâil. In the beginning of the month Adâr, the command to take the census of the males able to bear arms was issued for the second time, and to register their names in books. The Lord Mûsa acted according to these instructions, and found the number of warriors who had passed the twentieth, but had not yet reached the fiftieth year, to amount to six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men. After he had completed this enumeration, the cloud which cast its shadow over the hosts of Esrâil was observed to move from the desert of Sin towards that of Fârân, and as all the movements and stoppages of the children of Esrâil were regulated by the cloud, they prepared and put themselves in motion, but as the cloud became stationary in the desert of Fârân, the Jews likewise halted. The Jews imagine that the prophet Shoa’ib—u. w. b., etc.—arrived on that occasion from Madian to pay a visit to the Lord Mûsa in the desert of Fârân, and that they were rejoiced at meeting each other. It is said that Mûsa displayed much hospitality, whereof Harûn likewise partook with the grandees of the children of Esrâil, but he himself abstained, which circumstance greatly distressed Shoa’ib. Mûsa, however, made his appearance after the completion of the banquet, spread out the carpet of excuses, and said: ‘The affairs and necessities of the people have hindered me from coming, and as all the business concerning the nation devolves upon myself alone, I feel harassed.’ Shoa’ib accepted his excuses, and advised Mûsa to entrust the government of each tribe to a man distinguished by experience, discernment and foresight,³¹⁸ to give to each of them full power in all matters, but to retain the affairs of the army and of wars in his own hands. Mûsa accordingly selected twelve individuals, with the approbation of Shoa’ib, investing them with magisterial and gubernatorial dignity over each tribe. The names of those chiefs are mentioned in the [book entitled] ‘A’râis.’

One of the important events which took place about this time was the disappearance of the cloud, that happened in the following manner: When the children of Esrâil stayed in the desert of Fârân, Mariam and Harûn were, in the absence of Mûsa, conversing with each other, asserting their dignity to be equal to his; they also imputed to him something of which his essence was innocent. Therefore a voice was heard the next morning from that cloud as follows: ‘O children of Esrâil, although you have been the subjects of My grace and pardon, nevertheless, Mûsa alone has reached the dignity of becoming My chosen servant. How can you, therefore, compare yourselves to him, since that which has been granted to him has not been vouchsafed to any other prophet, and all revelations have been addressed to the other prophets by the intervention of angels, through inspirations or visions: he, however, has attained personal conversation [with Me]. Why do you, therefore, not take care of yourselves? and why do you transgress your bounds?’ At that very moment the cloud disappeared from above their heads, and when the allocution had ceased the heat of the atmosphere became very intense. Harûn then repented, craved pardon, and, going to Mûsa, apologized, interceded for his sister Mariam that her sin be forgiven, and that the distemper of leprosy, which had broken out on her body for slandering Mûsa, might be removed by the prayer of the latter. Mûsa accepted the excuse and pardoned his brother; he also turned his face towards the Qiblah of petition for the sake of Mariam’s leprosy. Then the allocution arrived that Mariam would be cured after the expiration of seven days, which actually happened; on the appointed day she recovered her health,³¹⁹ and the children of Esrâil became firmly convinced of the high dignity of Mûsa.

Another great event was the punishment of Qârûn [Korah], who was in the Hebrew language named Qârûj. According to one tradition he was the son of Mûsa’s uncle, according to another, his uncle, and according to a third, the son of his sister. Making, however, allowance for the variety of traditions, it is said that after Mûsa and Harûn, the most wise, intelligent and virtuous among the children of Esrâil was Qârûn. His countenance was so beauteous that it had been surnamed ‘lit up,’ and he was constantly engaged in reading the Mosaic Law. The Lord Mûsa was very anxious to give him a good education before instructing him in strange knowledge and wonderful sciences, one of which was alchemy, that was unknown to anyone before the time of Mûsa. Qârûn learnt this science from him and cultivated it with ardour, so that in course of time he amassed riches to such an extent that forty mules were required for the purpose of carrying the keys of his treasure-boxes. Mûsa exhorted him often to bestow alms upon the poor, and told him to disburse one dinàr in a thousand for this purpose. Qârûn, however, felt grieved at this proposal, began to quarrel with Mûsa, and refused to obey his injunctions: he ceased to follow him, and associated with the nefarious and the rebellious. He erected a lofty palace, the walls of which he laid in with sheets of pure gold; he constructed portals of gold, erected a throne encrusted with precious stones, and took the utmost pains to embellish it. Whenever he rode out he was followed by a retinue of one thousand men of the children of Esrâil who were his relatives and adherents. He had three hundred luna-faced maidens, who exhaled ambergris, were dressed in costly garments decorated with jewels, and diadems inlaid with gems, to attend at his stirrups. When he returned home, tables with food were produced and banquets prepared, in which he regaled the children of Esrâil, joked and laughed with them. The people who shared in his entertainments said: ‘Oh that we had the like [wealth] as hath been given unto Qârûn! Verily he is a master of great fortune.’³²⁰ It is related that before Mûsa had invited him to give alms he had once paid him a visit, and said: ‘O Mûsa, thou art an inspired messenger; thy brother is a governor and magistrate, and I enjoy none of these dignities; as I am, however, far more opulent in worldly goods than yourselves, I can no longer bear this humility and mean condition. If, therefore, you do not appoint me to some important office, I shall begin discord, and shall forcibly take away from Harûn the governorship of the holy house, and the ark of the testimony.’ Mûsa replied: ‘O Qârûn, be civil, know thy own station, be grateful for what Allah has vouchsafed thee, seek not to obtain a higher dignity than that which thou possessest, and do not distress thy mind by endeavouring to obtain everything, for the blessing to be a prophet is a gift of God, and so is the guardianship over the ark of the testimony, to which Harûn was appointed not by me but by God, and whoever shall attempt to injure Harûn or his children will undoubtedly be overtaken by a speedy chastisement and deadly punishment.’ These words rankled in Qârûn’s bosom, and when Mûsa invited him to bestow alms, he manifested enmity, turned to the ignorant among the children of Esrâil, and addressed them in the following strain: ‘As you are obeying Mûsa in all things, and he is your commander, [I inform you that] it is now his intention to deprive you of your possessions, on the pretext of disbursing them as alms; by this proceeding he will impoverish you, and enrich himself alone. Why have you become silent, and do not answer him?’ The people answered: ‘At present thou art the chief individual of the nation; tell him what seemeth good unto thee in this matter, and arrange it with Mûsa as thou art best able, because we, with all our followers, shall obey thy commandments.’ Qârûn then consulted with his intimate friends about the resistance to be offered to Mûsa. At last he brought a notoriously lascivious and adulterous woman to his house, gave her a plate full of gold and precious stones, made her promises [of more], and induced her to appear in the assembly of the children of Esrâil, when they were all congregated listening to the exhortations of Mûsa, and to accuse the latter of having committed adultery with her, so that by her efforts the children of Esrâil might impute to him the crime of lasciviousness, and might condemn him according to the requirements of the Mosaic Law. It is said that the Lord Mûsa preached to the people once every week. When the time agreed upon for the accusation had arrived, and the people assembled, Qârûn entered the congregation with the utmost pomp and circumstance, took his seat opposite to Mûsa and began to scoff at him. The said impudent woman also made her appearance in the assembly, and took up her position in a corner. When the waves of the sea of the mysteries of Mûsa’s luminous mind began to get stormy, and his hearers had become excited, she arose with the intention of uttering the preconcerted falsehood to soil the skirts of Mûsa’s prophetic dignity with the mire of slander; God, however—whose name be exalted and hallowed—changed her mind, so that she exclaimed: ‘O children of Esrâil, know ye that Qârûn, the foe of Mûsa, yesterday took me to his house, and gave to me a plate full of gold and precious stones, telling me to devise a lie against Mûsa, and publicly to bear witness in this assembly of his having committed adultery with me; he also promised to rescue me from the hands of the children of Esrâil, and to bring about the lapidation of Mûsa. Now I testify that Mûsa is the prophet of God, and that whatever he does or commands is according to divine inspiration. His religion is true. I repent of every sin I have committed, and bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Mûsa is the speaker with Allah.’

The children of Esrâil, who had listened to all this [declaration], now lengthened the tongue of reprobation towards Qârûn. Mûsa, being displeased with the stratagem of Qârûn, became angry, immediately descended from the pulpit, prostrated himself upon the ground, and said: ‘My God, Thine enemy harboured the intention of injuring me, and intended to put me to shame. If I am a prophet, vouchsafe to manifest Thy displeasure towards him, and Thy favour towards me in the sight of the people!’ On that occasion Jebrâil descended, and said: ‘Lift up thy head, because the Divine Majesty has responded to thy prayer, and has subjected the earth to thine orders, and it will do as thou listest.’ The Lord Mûsa was pleased with this information, and said to the children of Esrâil: ‘The Most High did empower me to overcome Fara’ûn and Qârûn likewise. Therefore let every one remain who adheres to him, and let every one depart who adheres to me.’ The people of Esrâil, having been warned by these words of Mûsa, abandoned Qârûn, two men only excepted, who had been his associates at all times and in all matters. Then Mûsa addressed the earth, saying: ‘O earth, take him!’ Hereupon Qârûn sank into the ground as far as his ankles; he nevertheless laughed, and said: ‘O Mûsa, what sorcery is this which thou art again performing?’ Mûsa repeated the exclamation: ‘O earth, take him!’ Then he sank into it as far as his knees, and now became frightened, but all his supplications were of no avail. It is related that Mûsa had thus ordered the earth as many as seventy times to swallow Qârûn, who begged to be respited, but in vain.³²¹ When the earth had devoured Qârûn, and Mûsa was engaged in thanksgivings, the following allocution of God reached him: ‘O Mûsa, how many times did Qârûn supplicate thee and was disappointed?’ Mûsa replied: ‘I expected he would invoke Thee!’ Then the revelation came: ‘If he had even once fled for refuge to Me, I would not have subjected him to thy power. Hereafter, I shall not cause the earth to obey anyone until the day of the resurrection.’

After Qârûn had sunk into the earth, the envious and the wicked among the children of Esrâil said: ‘Mûsa coveted the goods and possessions of Qârûn; therefore he showed him no mercy.’ When Mûsa heard of these imputations, he prayed that God—w. n. b. e.—would command the earth to swallow the palace, the furniture, wardrobe, cattle, vessels, with every kind of goods and chattels belonging to Qârûn; wherefore [not only these but even] the property and capitals entrusted by him to merchants in various parts of the world, likewise disappeared in some way or other, and were lost. The learned inform us, that on the said occasion fourteen thousand and seven hundred individuals of the chiefs and prominent persons among the children of Esrâil perished. God—w. n. b. e.—has said: ‘We caused the ground to cleave asunder and to swallow up him and his palace, and he had no forces to defend him besides Allah; neither was he rescued [from punishment].’³²²

Verses:

Who has no rivers of gold to flow from him May aspire to the felicity of content; See what worldly treasures Qârûn had— Treasure cannot remove the troubles of this world.

RECORD OF THE REMOVAL OF THE CHILDREN OF ESRÂIL FROM THE DESERT OF FÂRÂN AND GOING TO THAT OF FÂRISH. THE COMBAT OF MÛSA WITH THE GIANTS OF SYRIA, AND THE MISFORTUNE OF THE CHILDREN OF ESRÂIL IN WANDERING ABOUT, AND THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THOSE TIMES.

The author of the ‘Zubdat-ut-tovârikh’ relates, that after Mûsa and the children of Esrâil had remained seventy-nine days in the desert of Fârân, orders were issued on the 9th of the month Ab to get the army ready to march to Syria, to deliver the Holy Land from the hands of the giants and A’mâlekites, and to take possession of it without entertaining any apprehensions on account of the great statures, strong bodies and valour of the tyrants, because divine guardianship and celestial victory would aid the professors of monotheism. Mûsa made, according to divine inspiration, all the preparations necessary for attacking the A’mâlekites, after the completion whereof he marched with the army and the people of Esrâil to the country of the oppressors, to deliver the Holy Land from whose grasp was his uppermost and paramount thought. There is, however, a variety of opinions among theologians about the meaning of the expression ‘Holy Land.’ Some assert that it is the ‘Holy House’ [i.e. the city of Jerusalem] and Ailiat, whilst others allege it to be the country around Mount Sinai. Others, again, state that it points to Filisteen and to the vicinity of Ardan [the river Jordan]; but some call the whole of Syria the Holy Land.

After taking notice of the above differences in the traditions, it is related that when the Esrâilites arrived in the vicinity of the country of that nation [i.e. of the A’mâlekites], they halted in the desert of Fârish. Mûsa ordered the twelve individuals, whom he had [by the advice of Shoa’ib on a previous occasion] appointed to be the chieftains of the people, to depart for the purpose of examining the ways of the A’mâlekites, and to return after having obtained cognizance of their positions. They accordingly went to that country, and when they reached the capital of the oppressors, the most current tradition informs us that they met A’vuj, the son of A’naq, who was distinguished by the strength and corpulency of his body. But as the tyrants had previously obtained information that people would arrive to wage war against them, A’naq immediately seized the twelve chiefs, and placing them in his sleeve according to one tradition, or throwing them into the skirts of his garment, according to another, he proceeded to the king, in whose presence he dropped them upon the ground, saying: ‘O king, these men belong to the army which has come to attack us.’ It is said that the stature of each of the just-mentioned chiefs was not less than ten cubits in height, and from five to six in breadth, but by the side of those A’adites³²³ they appeared smaller than sparrows. After the chiefs had found their way back to the sons of Esrâil, either by flight or by stratagem, they agreed, whilst on the road, not to reveal to anyone, except to Mûsa and to Harûn, what they had seen of the terrible and gigantic bodies of those tyrants, lest the children of Esrâil who were weak in body and mind, and possessed no spirit of enterprise, might, on being informed about their enemies, refuse to wage war against them, and thereby subject themselves to misfortunes. When, however, the chiefs had returned to the camp, ten of them broke their promise and told the people of Esrâil all about the innate bravery and strength of body of the A’adites, and only two of the chiefs, namely Kalûb, the son of Yofunna, and Yoshua’, the son of Nûn, kept the secret. The army of Mûsa having thus been informed about the A’mâlekites, refused to fight them, despite all the entreaties, flatteries and promises of victory with which Mûsa and Harûn plied them; neither could the persuasions of Yoshua’ and Kalûb, who extolled Syria, and assured them that the giants might be easily conquered, make any impression upon them. The children of Esrâil said: ‘God forbid that we should ever enter that region, the inhabitants whereof we would be unable to combat!’ To Mûsa they said: ‘If thou desirest to possess and to govern that country, go thou and thy Lord and combat them ye both; we shall remain here.’ The wrath of Mûsa being incensed against the rebellious people, he bowed down his head in prayer, and said: ‘O Lord, I have no power over anyone except over myself and my brother; therefore separate us from this wicked nation.’ Yoshua’ and Kalûb were likewise utterly distressed by the folly and obstinacy of the people. They tore their garments, bent their heads in adoration and complained to the Lord of Magnificence. Then all of a sudden a cloud appeared in the atmosphere, from which they heard the following words: ‘O Mûsa, how long will the children of Esrâil be rebellious, and how long will they deny My evident signs? Do they not know that I am able to annihilate them in less than the twinkling of an eye, and that I may create for thee another and a greater multitude?’ Mûsa continued: ‘O Lord, if Thou wilt in the height of Thine anger, and in the culmination of Thy revenge, destroy this nation, Thy kingdom will suffer no diminution; but any nation that will hereafter hear of the extirpation and annihilation of this people, will attribute their chastisement to the consequences of my supplications.’

It is said that after Mûsa had failed to induce his people to wage war, the Almighty intended to destroy them, but Mûsa said: ‘O Lord, Thy long-suffering is great, Thy bounty is abundant, and Thou art forgiving; pardon them, therefore, and destroy them not suddenly.’ Then the allocution again came: ‘O Mûsa, I have complied with thy request, and have pardoned their transgression for thy sake; but as thou hast called them “wicked,” I swear by My glory and majesty, that I shall, with the exception of My chosen servants, namely thyself, thy brother Harûn and Yoshua’, cause all the sons of Esrâil to go astray, and to wander about in despair and awe in this desert. I shall cause the wailings and the lamentations they utter to become an ordinance among them, that they and their children may every year bemoan the sudden deaths of these people; and I shall, after causing them to spend a miserable life, scatter their bones in this same desert.’ After the termination of this speech the members of the bodies of the ten men who had divulged the information about the A’mâlekites in the camp separated from each other; their corpses melted, and flowed away like water. But the children of Esrâil remained in that desert subject to a migratory existence, in which they lost everything they possessed, and finally their very lives also.

Mûsa, Harûn, and Yoshua’, the son of Nûn, went to the country of the A’mâlekites, but the children of Esrâil returned in the direction of Egypt. They started in the morning, and incessantly marched till sunset; but on looking well round they found themselves in the place from which they had departed. On the second day they attempted to overtake Mûsa, with the intention of propitiating his exalted nature by means of flatteries and apologies, and of conquering the land of the A’mâlekites with his co-operation; but all their efforts were frustrated, and they discovered in the evening that they had again returned to the same place, and continued to roam about in the desert. It is said that the wanderings of the children of Esrâil were confined to the country about Filisteen, the Ardan, and Egypt, the extent of which did not exceed twelve, and according to another tradition fifty-six, Farsakhs in length.

When Mûsa and his companions entered the country of the Amâlekites, the first man whom they met was A’vuj, the son of A’naq; but on coming up with him Mûsa began to leap, and struck him with his staff on the ankle, so that he fell to the ground, and surrendered his life to the owner of hell. After killing A’vuj Mûsa hastened with his friends towards the children of Esrâil, and finding them in their accustomed place, he said: ‘O people, I went, and the Lord Almighty—w. n. b. e.—has granted me His aid, and has bestowed upon me force enough to slay a man, the like of whom in tallness of stature and strength of body did not exist on God’s earth. Had I continued, I might have vanquished the whole land; but I did not wish to enter that country without you. Be of good cheer. Let us depart and occupy Syria.’ The sons of Esrâil then explained to Mûsa their circumstances and wanderings, whereby he was grieved, but at the same time awed, at the speedy fulfilment of the threat of the Lord Almighty; he also bemoaned the helplessness of the people. Then the allocution was heard: ‘Despair not of the wicked people.’ As they had spent all their provisions in that desert, and had nothing in store, they informed his lordship. Thereon Mûsa prayed, and the Lord Most High produced manna,³²⁴ or something like it, on the brambles of that region, which they plucked from them and consumed. He likewise granted to them birds like partridges,³²⁵ that sat down near them, and anyone who liked took, roasted, and ate them; and this species of bird exists till this day in that desert. When they were overpowered by thirst they asked Mûsa for water, and by divine inspiration he placed a stone which he always carried about with him on the gate of the Holy House; and after having assembled the elders, with the chiefs of the children of Esrâil, he prayed, and struck the stone with his staff, whereon twelve fountains gushed forth therefrom, according to the number of the tribes, each of which then made use of one. The Jews called this rock ‘the big stone’; they imagined that it was very large, and conveyed it from place to place on quadrupeds. It is also said that whenever they departed the water ceased to flow, and that every time they halted the stone was set up near the gate of the Holy House, whereon the water again bubbled forth, and the governors of the tribes caused twelve large brooks to flow into their habitations. In this manner they spent their lives in difficulties, and travelled every day two Farsakhs in that desert. Mûsa nevertheless exhorted them to gratitude towards the Almighty.

The time of the Esrâilites passed as just narrated, until some of them had one day, contrary to the divine command, collected more than one day’s provision of manna and of quails, although Mûsa had warned them that they would thereby incur the wrath of God. They, however, paid no attention, but gathered a quantity sufficient for a whole month and more. On account of this disobedience they became subject to the wrath of the Lord God, who thereon cut them off from all the favours of His bounty. When their flames of hunger were kindled by the absence of food, they waited on Mûsa, spread out the surface of apologies before him, and began to supplicate him. By reason of his meek and kind disposition he accepted their excuses, and prayed to the Almighty, so that the portals of His bounty were again opened to the people as before. On that occasion Mûsa fixed a measure, which was called ‘marzabân’ [sic], and ordered that more than one of these ought not to be taken daily by anyone, except on Friday, when they were allowed to make provision for the Sabbath likewise. He also commanded the people to make their collection in the morning; whoever failed to do so lost his portion for that day, and any person collecting more than one marzabân lost it by its becoming impregnated with a bad smell. When, on another occasion, the people complained about their nakedness, and about that of their families, Mûsa prayed, and the command arrived that they should wash their garments in the fountains gushing from the stone, that they might again become new; and when they turned greasy and soiled, they were to be thrown into fire, that they might again recover their purity and whiteness. After that, by the decree of the Eternal Will, every infant was born with garments, which became larger in proportion as the child grew, and fitted the body in length and breadth. They lived in this way for some time, but finally went to Mûsa and said: ‘For a long period of time our food has consisted of manna and quails. We cannot subsist on these for ever. We require onions, greens and vegetables, and terrestrial food; pray that we may obtain some of it, and be gladdened thereby.’ Mûsa, being displeased by this demand, said, by way of reproach: ‘Do you wish to exchange that which is good for that which is worse? Get ye down into Egypt, and you will obtain what you ask.’³²⁶ Alas for the foolish people who prefer terrestrial vegetables to the heavenly table, and who prefer corporeal food to a celestial banquet! Mûsa and Harûn, astonished at the folly of the children of Esrâil, and at the hardness of their hearts, meditated to go away and to leave those fools to their own fate; but as patience and endurance are incumbent upon prophets, they paid no attention to these dismal insinuations of the people, took hold of the handle of patience and confidence, and waited for the command of God. A short time afterwards the Omnipotent Avenger, whose majesty is exalted, sent despair, poverty, and misery upon the children of Esrâil, and their affliction increased day by day; so that, after the completion of forty lunar years which they spent in the desert of Fârish, all the men between the ages of twenty and fifty years died, not one of them surviving except Yoshua’ and Kalûb. It is related that as many of the children of Esrâil as perished during the above period, so many were also born; so that on ceasing their wanderings, and when the census of the hosts of Esrâil was taken, the number was found precisely the same as when they entered the desert. This took place by the power of the Beneficent Sovereign.

RECORD OF MÛSA’S GOING TO MEET KHIZER.

As the Divine Majesty had granted infinite benefits to Mûsa, increased his high dignity and exalted station, he was in the habit of daily offering praises and thanksgivings in the congregation; and when he preached to the people, renewed laudations and gratitude for the blessings received emanated from his lips:

Verses:

How could I fitly praise the Friend? No gratitude of mine could suffice. Every hair is a gift from Him. How could I thank Him for each hair?

In one of the usual meetings a man arose on a certain occasion, who spoke thus: ‘O prophet of Allah, what thou hast said we have understood, and we consider it a religious duty to be always grateful for the benefits received from the Lord of Unity. We also acknowledge thee to be a prophet and inspired messenger; but tell us whether on the surface of the earth the Lord of Self-existence has a wiser servant than thee?’ Mûsa replied: ‘My opinion is that at present God has on the face of the earth no servant more excellent or more wise than myself; because He has exalted me above the highest degrees of virtue and knowledge, has vouchsafed me the felicity of conversing with His Divine Majesty, and has invested me with the robe of being one of the elect and of the favoured. A servant distinguished by such gifts ought undoubtedly to be the most wise and the most virtuous of the inhabitants of the world.’ Subsequently to these words Jebrâil descended and brought the following allocution of reproof: ‘O Mûsa, knowest thou where we have deposited our knowledge, and how much of this unfathomable ocean we have bestowed upon everyone? Behold, I have a servant wiser than thee. If thou wilt endeavour to meet him, and enter into the sea of his knowledge, thy former supposition will prove to have been erroneous, and it will appear plainly that thy pretensions are akin to folly.’ Mûsa acknowledged the truth of these words, and implored the Lord Omniscient to reveal to him the abode of that exalted servant, as he desired to go in search of him. Thereon the allocution arrived: ‘The habitation of that servant is at the meeting of the two seas, and if thou lookest with a discerning eye, which, like the mind, penetrates into all places, thou wilt find him.’ Mûsa asked: ‘O God, who will convey me to that place, and who will be my guide on the road?’ The reply came: ‘Thy food will show thee the way.’ Accordingly Mûsa and Harûn started towards the meeting of the seas, taking with them a few salted and roasted fishes and bread. They travelled three days, and arrived near a fountain in the vicinity of the meeting of the seas, where they took rest for awhile, and deposited their basket on a stone, but forgot to take it when they started again. They then walked along the sea-shore, when, by the effects of the virtue of Khizer, a fish was at that moment brought back to life, worked itself out of the basket and jumped into the sea. After Mûsa had travelled for awhile he became hungry, and said to Yoshua’: ‘Produce the food, that we may eat.’ The latter replied: ‘Yesterday evening we halted near a rock, and no one caused me to forget and leave it there but Satan. Hast thou seen? When we took up our lodging at the rock, verily I forgot the fish, and none made me forget it except Satan.’³²⁷ Mûsa, being satisfied with the excuse of Yoshua’, said: ‘It is of no consequence; we will return to the same place.’ They did so, and beheld near the fountain Khizer engaged in adoration. When he had terminated his orisons, he questioned Mûsa, who replied: ‘The object of our journey was to become ennobled by meeting thine exalted person, to regenerate and to refresh the meadow of our expectations by the showers of the fountain-head of thy knowledge, and to see the rosebuds of our hopes opening and smiling from the breeze of thy regard. My Lord has sent me to follow thee and to learn some of thy science, therefore command, and deal with us as thou listest.’

Verses:

The basis of their intercourse being laid, Mûsa took Khizer to be his master; As it is impossible to travel without a guide, Therefore a Jebrâil to the prophet came.

Khizer answered: ‘Thy request is granted, but it will be a hard matter to accompany me, because I act according to hidden knowledge, the visible effects of which are often evil, but the consequences beneficent and salutary. As thou hast not patience to wait for the truth and propriety of my acts to appear, thou wilt disapprove of them and blame me. For this reason the knot of our amity will be dissolved, and the path of our association will remain obstructed.’ Mûsa replied: ‘Thou shalt find me patient if Allah pleaseth; neither will I be disobedient unto thee in anything.’³²⁸ Khizer continued: ‘If thou followest me, ask me not about anything until I myself mention it.’ After that Khizer and Mûsa went to the sea and entered a ship; Yoshua’ having —according to the general opinion of authors—departed by the permission of Mûsa, and again joined his people. On this occasion Khizer removed secretly two or three planks of the ship, threw them into the sea, and exclaimed: ‘O people, make haste to repair the ship or you will all perish!’ The men quickly produced a carpenter, who nailed on various pieces of wood and mended the vessel; but it nevertheless looked faulty, and the owners were distressed. Mûsa, who had seen everything, said to Khizer: ‘What use is there in endangering the lives of so many persons, and of perforating so strong a ship?’ Khizer replied: ‘Did not I tell thee that thou couldst not bear with me?’³²⁹ Mûsa then revoked the words he had uttered, and attributed them to his obliviousness. When they disembarked they entered a town, and roaming about therein they met a company of children. Khizer picked out one from among them, who was distinguished by the gracefulness of his features, took hold of him, and laying him down, he separated with a knife his head from the body. Mûsa again opened the mouth of reproach and inquisitiveness, saying: ‘How does the taking of a pure life, as yet unsoiled by corporeal desires and lascivious passions, and as yet innocent of any act deserving capital punishment, appear to the eyes of wisdom? According to the requirements of what law can this act be justified?’ Khizer again replied: ‘Have I not told thee that thou couldst not bear with me?’³³⁰ Mûsa again spread out the carpet of apologies, and promised henceforth no more to question the propriety of similar deeds, because by doing so he would be compelled to submit to separation. Then they again continued their journey, and on a certain night, when cold had overpowered them, they arrived, according to the statement of Ebn A’bbâs, in the town of Antakia [Antiochia], the inhabitants whereof refused either to refresh them with food, or to entertain them. Therefore Khizer turned away from them and sought shelter with Mûsa under an enclosure, the wall of which looked like falling. Khizer, however, made haste to repair it so that it became straight [or safe] again. Theologians differ about the manner in which the wall was repaired; some assert that Khizer so rubbed it with his hands, that it immediately recovered its former consistency; others again state that he removed its foundations and substituted new ones. At any rate, Mûsa said: ‘As the inhabitants of this region have refused us hospitality, they ought to be made to pay the wages for the work, by means of which we might extinguish the flames of hunger.’ Khizer replied: ‘This shall be a separation between thee and me.³³¹ Prepare to leave me, and expect my company no longer; hearken, however, for one moment, and glean some information about the justice of my mysterious acts: I disabled the vessel, because it would have passed near the country of a tyrannical oppressor who is according to some called Mandhar, and according to others Halanda, or Badoin. Every sound ship that reaches him falls a prey to his violence, and the owners of it are turned away by him without obtaining any recompense for it. Accordingly I injured the ship that it may remain the property of those poor men, and that no one might take it from them.’ It is also related that the livelihood of those ten indigent men depended on the ship. Khizer continued: ‘The boy was slain by me, because his parents, both of whom are professors of monotheism, have never seen him do any other but infidel, sinful, wicked and rebellious acts. Therefore I feared that his progenitors might suffer fom the effects of his malicious and criminal disposition, and might be captured in the meshes of the wicked. I wished that the Boundless Granter would bestow upon them a pious child instead of a wicked one.’ The Emâm Ja’fer Sâdiq—u. w. b., etc.—relates that after the murder and destruction of the said boy, the Almighty—w. n. b. e.—presented the bereaved parents with a daughter in lieu of him, who became the mother and ancestress of seventy prophets. The utility of repairing the wall consisted in its being the property of two orphan boys, whose names were Haram and Harim. Their father, a pious and devout man, was named Kashah; he had under this wall deposited a treasure for his sons, of which they would have been deprived if the wall had fallen, because in that case others would have discovered the treasure. Accordingly Khizer had, by divine inspiration, repaired it to last until the orphans attained the age of maturity, and could take possession of it. The principal historians inform us that, according to the cubits of that country, the said wall was two hundred cubits high, five hundred long, and fifty broad. There is, however, a variety of opinions concerning the treasure: some say it meant a book containing various sciences, others allege that it was a box full of silver and gold. Abu Muhammad Ja’fer Sadiq states that it was a tablet of pure gold containing the following words [engraved thereon]: ‘I am astonished that he who is certain of fate should grieve. I am astonished that he who is certain of subsistence should toil. I am astonished that he who is certain of death should rejoice. I am astonished that he who is certain of [being obliged to render] an account should be careless. I am astonished that he who knows the world and its changes should be happy therein. There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His prophet!’ In some histories it is recorded that on the reverse of the said tablet the following words occurred: ‘I am Allah, there is no God besides Me. I am one, and have no partner. I have created good and evil, and blessed is he whom I have created for good, and have made it flow from his hands; but woe to him whom I have created for evil, and have made it flow from his hands.’

It is narrated after A’li, the refuge of dominion, that when the time arrived for Mûsa and Khizer to take leave of each other, the speaker [with Allah] besought the latter to give him advice; whereon Khizer spoke as follows: ‘O son of E’mrân, I recommend thee to be profitable and not to be detrimental. Leave off squabbling, and care only for needful things. Laugh not without being astonished. Rejoice not over the failings of sinners, for thou hast thine also. Do not put off the business of to-day till to-morrow.’ After Khizer had finished his exhortation he took leave of Mûsa and returned. It is said that the time they had been together amounted to eighteen days. It is related after his lordship, the seal of prophecy [i.e. Muhammad], that if Mûsa had been bound by the conditions he agreed upon with Khizer, and if he had not broken them, he would certainly have learnt some wonderful and divine mysteries, and would have obtained much information about strange and infinite matters, and the Lord of Magnificence—w. n. b. pr.—would have instructed him about them all. His highness, the axis of divines, Shekh Mahi-ud-din—may his secret be hallowed—has related in the ‘Fatûhât’ as follows: ‘I have accompanied Khizer in some deserts, and incidentally our conversation turned upon his connection with Mûsa, when I made due inquiries on that subject, and he said: “I had prepared one thousand queries for Mûsa, but as he had not patience even for three,³³² I abstained from bringing forth any more problems, and consequently ceased to associate with him.”’

There is a difference of opinion among the principal chroniclers whether the meeting of Mûsa and Khizer—u. w. b., etc.—took place before or after the wanderings of the children of Esrâil. The most correct opinion, however, is that it happened whilst they were afflicted by the calamity of their migrations; let it, however, not remain unknown that Mûsa, Harûn, Yoshua’ and Kalûb were not subjected to the misfortunes of wandering.

RECORD OF HARÛN’S DECEASE.

It is related in most histories that Harûn departed this life in the thirtieth year of the calamity of the migrations. In several works it is narrated that he died in the beginning of the month Ab, the fifth month of the fortieth year of the said calamity. Mûsa was apprised by divine revelation of the approach of Harûn’s death and of the locality where it would take place. On that occasion Mûsa and Harûn, or, according to another tradition, also Shabir and Shabar, the sons of the latter, started to Mount Shovik. During the journey, however, they arrived at a place the atmosphere whereof was perfumed and fragrant like ambergris. They perceived a neat house, and a high couch overshadowed by exquisite and lofty trees; among the latter they perceived a wonderful one, the like of which the world did not contain. Harûn was so pleased with this spectacle that he expressed a wish to repose for an hour on the couch, but he was afraid lest the owner of the house might come forward and become angry at his intrusion. Mûsa, however, said: ‘Do thou enjoy thy wish, and, if need be, I shall excuse thee to the master of the place.’ Harûn continued: ‘Brother, I am depressed in spirit, keep me company, and, if the owner of this park makes his appearance, both of us will bear his wrath.’ At his request Mûsa reclined with his head upon the couch, but as soon as Harûn laid himself down, his predestined fate overtook him, and his pure spirit departed to the regions of holiness. When Mûsa prepared himself to perform the funeral ceremonies, the park with its couch and house suddenly disappeared; therefore he returned to the people and explained to them what had happened. The children of Esrâil said: ‘Thou hast envied Harûn because we loved him more than thee, and hast, therefore, murdered him.’ His lordship the speaker [with God] prayed, the couch with the body of Harûn appeared in the midst of the people, and the corpse said: ‘Mûsa is free of that which you impute to him.’ Thereupon the children of Esrâil drew the tongue of reproof back into their palates, and having appointed Elghâzâr, the son of Harûn, to be his successor, they went to the place where the park and couch had disappeared, and erected there an edifice which they completed. According to another tradition the Lord [God] delivered the children of Esrâil, after the expiration of forty years, from their migrations, and made them conquer Syria. The general opinion is that the death of the Lord Harûn took place in the thirty-third year of the wanderings of the children of Esrâil in the desert.

INDEX.
A.

A’AD, People of, 99, 101, 102, 105

A’amil, 356-358

Aaron. See Harûn

Abbasides, The, viii.

Abd-ul-hâkum Jauhari, 120

Abdullah Bin Abbas, 61, 129

Abdullah Bin Omar, 122

Abdullah Bin Shuhub, 288

Abel, 14, 51. See Habil

Abraham, 3. See Ebrahim

Abu Ali Ja’fer Bin Yaqûb ul Isfahani, 40, 41

Abu Harira, 61

Abu Mâlek Ush-shujayi, 61

Adam, History of, 41-51. His transactions with Cain and Abel, 51-54. His fall and punishment, 47, 48. His progeny and prophecy, 54-56. His death, 56. His names and surnames, 58. His afflictions, 60. His miracles, 64. His book, 40, 64. The number of his children, 65. The sciences and trades of his time, 64. His building the Ka’bah, 50, 170. His journey to Mekkah, 50. His meeting Eve on A’rafat, 50

A’is [Esau], 190-192, 196, 197

Aiûb [Job], 191. Record of, 291-299. His personal description, etc., 299, 300

Akbar, The Emperor, viii. Translations ordered by him, viii.

Alexander the Great, 10. See Eskander

Alfaragius, 124

Aliamani Aliafai, 35

Ali, son of Abu Tâleb, 165

Amalekites, The, 365, 366

Amir Ali Shir, 19, 33

A’mra, wife of Esmail, 183

Anus Bin Mâlik, 300, 353

Anûsh [Enos], 67

Anka, or Zuleikha, 227

Anssari, or auxiliary, 34; note 34

Aqlemia, sister of Cain, 51, 52

Arabic, vii., viii., xi.

‘Arabic Authors,’ viii.

Ardan [Jordan], The, 148; notes 135 and 136; 365

Ariha [Jericho], 341

Ark of the Testimony, The, 354, 355

Ark, Record of Nûh’s, 88

Ashir, 194

Asia, wife of Fara’ûn, 308, 309, 311, 313, 327, 329

Avuj, son of Anaq, 366, 368

Azar (also called Târakh), father of Abraham, 126-128

Azazil, 38; note 41. See Eblis

Azrayil, the angel of death, note 41; 42, 55, 57, 70, 71, 87, 109, 110, 176

Azûlûn, 194. See Zebulun

B.

Baghdad, vii.

Bakhtanassar [Nebuchadnezzar], 126

Bard [Jared?], 67

Barzachumir, 26

Beards of the children of Adam, 59

Bedayet we Nihayet, 54, 121, 312

Beidhâvi, 63, 126

Benjamin. See Ebn Yâmin

Bezoar Stone, The, note 97

Bible, The, vii., xi., 3, 8

Birds in the Desert, 369

Black Stone, The, 49; note 56; 50, 172

Bodleian, The, xi.

Boraq, 18; note 17; 141, 161, 162, 183-185

British Museum, The, vii., xi.

C.

Cain, 14, 51. See Qabil

Cainan, 67. See Qenân

Caleb. See Kalûb

Calmet, 8, note *

Camel, The Story of the female, 112-114. Her death, 115

Christians, The, 3. Their sects, 6. Their belief, 6-8

Cloud, The, 340, 343, 358, 359

Commandments, The Ten, 349, 350

Contracts, Use of, 55

Councils of Nice and Constantinople, 8, note *

Courteille, Pavet de, note 63

Cow, The, 357, 358; note 317

Creation of Genii, 34, 36. Of the Light of Muhammad, 35; note 123

Cup, The Divining, note 1, note 180; 271

D.

Dan, 194. See Vân

Daûd, 126

David, 3, 55; note 73. See Daûd

Documents, Use of, 55

E.

Eblis [Satan], Dominion of, 36; note 41. His career, 38-40. His remarks about Adam, 43. His temptation of Adam and Eve, 47. Mentioned 73, 74, 79, 87, 149, 167, 294, 295, etc.

Ebn Abbas, 36, 49, 84, 89, 103, 119, 138, 149, 173, 308, 314, 319

Ebn Jûzi, 144

Ebn Kathir, note 281; 121

Ebn Yahia, 62

Ebn Yâmin [Benjamin], 194, 197, 201, 258, 261, 262, 265-267

Ebrahim [Abraham], 61. Record of, 126-140. His birth, 129, 132. His early intelligence, 129, 130, 133. His destruction of idols, 131, 135, 136. His appearance before Nimrud, 134. His being thrown into the fire, 137. His adventures there, 138. His struggles with Nimrud, 139, 140, 143. His departure from that country, 144. His sojourn in Egypt, 145. Sarah’s adventures there, 145, 146. His departure from Egypt and journey to Filisteen [Palestine], 146. His settling at Qasat, 147. The sacrifice of his son Esma’il, 165-168. His building the Ka’bah, 171, 172. His prayer there, 173. Some details about his life, 174; and his death, 175. Further details about his life, 176, 177. His sayings, 178. His appearance, 180; and other information about him, 181-183

Editor’s Preface, vii.-xii.

Edris [Enoch], The prophet, record of, 68, 72; note 77 (a). His personal appearance, 72. His maxims, 72, 73

Edris, Book of, 59

Egyptians, note 275. See Qabats

Elghâzâr, son of Aaron, 356, 379

Emâm Abul-Hasan Fariâbi, 62

Emâm Anjum-ud-din Omar Nashafi, 249

E’mran, father of Moses, 308

Enoch, 68. See Edris

Enos, 67. See Anûsh

Esahâq [Isaac], his birth, 163-165. His mission, 189. His marriage, 189. His twin sons, Esau and Jacob, 190. The story about them, 190. His death, 191. His description, miracles, and tomb, 191, 192

Esau, 190. See A’is

Eskander, 10

Esma’il [Ishmael], his birth, 157. His story, 158-163. How he was about to be sacrificed, 165-168. His building of the Ka’bah with Abraham, 171, 172. His record, 183 - 186. His mission, 186. Further details about him, 187. His death, 187. His tomb at Mekkah, 188

Esrafil, 138; note 129

Esrâil [Israel]. See Ya’qûb

Esrâil, Children of, 321, 329, 331, 333-348, 358, 360, 370, 378, 379

Ethe, Professor, xi.

Evangel, or Gospels, 6; note 187

Eve, her creation, 45. Her marriage, 45, 46. Her temptation and fall, 47. Her punishment, 48. Her transfer to Jeddah, 48. Her rejoining Adam at A’rafat, 50. Her death, 65.

F.

Fara’ûn [Pharaoh], 306. His tyranny over the children of Israel, 306. His order to kill their children, 307. The events at Eskanderia, 308. His daughter, 309. His wife Asia, 308, 310. His bringing up of Moses, 310, 311. His intention to kill him, 313. His castle, 323. His reception of Moses and Aaron, 324-328. The building of his lofty castle, 333. His pursuit of the children of Israel, 336. His destruction in the sea, 338, 339

Fariâbi, 62, 207

Farsakhs, 123; note 117; 351, 368

Fasan sacrifice, The, 335; note 296

Fathehah, The, 283; note 248

Feast of unleavened bread, 335

Firdausi, 10; note 196

Flood, The, 83-85.

Farqân, 350; note 311

G.

Gabriel, The angel, 14. See Jebrâil

Gad, 194

Gayangos, 11, note *

Genii, Creation of, 34, 36

Gibbon, 8, note *

Gog, 5. See Yajûj

Gospels, The, notes 67, 187

Greek, vii.

Gulistân of Sa’di, notes 77, 102

H.

Habil [Abel], 14. Story of, 51-53. His sacrifice, 52. His death, 52

Hadith Quds, or Sacred Tradition, notes 12-16

Hâfez Abru, 40, 56, 67, 153, 191, 225, 269, 270

Hagar, 146. See Hâjar

Hâjar, 146; note 134; 148, 157-161

Hâm, 85, 86. His record, 96. His sons, 97. Their territories, 97

Hamâm Bin Munia, 288

Hâmân, Fara’ûn’s Wazir, 324, 327, 332, 333, 337

Harûn [Aaron], Record of, 305, 307. His mission to assist Moses, 320. His going to Pharaoh with Moses, 323. Commands the vanguard at the Exodus, 335. Moses’s wrath with him, 346. His appointments, 355. The death of his two sons, 356. Goes with Moses to the country of the Amalekites, 368. His return, 371. His death, 378

Harût, Story of, 75-78

Hasan Bossri, 90, 288

Heber, note 107

Historians, Qualities necessary to, 29-31. Names of Arab, 31. Of Persian, 32

History, Uses of, 24-27. Why governors should be acquainted with, 28

Hodaifa Alyamani, 61

Holy Land, 365

Homâi, The, 208; note 179; 281

Horoscope, note 87

Hûd, His record, 98. His mission to the people of A’ad, 98-105. His death, 105. Description of his person, his qualities, his miracles, etc., 106

Hûmal, son of Job, 299

I.

Idolatry, Beginning of, 73-75. Further record of, 188. Among the descendants of Ishmael, 189

Ignolatry, 75

Imâd-ud-din Bin Kathir, 121; note 281

Injil, or Evangel, 6, 7

Isa [Jesus], 14

Isaac, 173. See Esahâq

Ishmael. See Esma’il

Islâm, 1; note 159

Israel. See Esrâil

Issachar, 1. See Yashkar; also called Shâkhâr and Yashkûr

J.

Jâbur the auxiliary, 34

Jacob, 192. See Ya’qûb

Jacobites, The [a sect of Christians], 6, 7

Jâmi, note 196

Jan Bin Jan, 36. The sons of, 37, 38

Japheth. See Yâfuth

Jared, 67. See Bard

Jebrâil [Gabriel], 14, 41, 49, 50, 57, 58, 83, 87, 92, 138, 150-154, 158, 161, 163, 168, 195, 210, 211, 216, 217, 223, 225, 232, 248, 278, 298, 311, 336, 353

Jesus, 3, 14; note 81. See Isa

Jethro, 300. See Shoa’ib

Jews, The. Their sects, 3. Their books, 4-6. Histories of, 358, 369

Jinns, The, 36

Job, 291. See Aiûb

Jordan, The. See Ardan

Jorham, The tribe of, 160, 161, 183

Joseph, 3, 14, 194. See Yusuf

Joshua, 3. See Yoshua

Judah, 194. See Yahuda

K.

Ka’bah, The, 50, 170, 171

Ka’b-ullâkhbâr, 71, 165, 300, 315

Kalbi, 186, 288

Kalûb [Caleb], 366, 367, 371, 378

Kama Shastra Society, note 77

Kasâi, 128

Kelim Allah, a name of Moses, 289; note 253, note 273

Khizer, note 189; 371, 373-377

Khodayjah, wife of Muhammad, 2

Korah, 360. See Qârûn

L.

Labân, 193-195

Labûda, Abel’s sister, 51

Lâvi [Levi], 194

Leah, 194. See Lia

Levi, 194. See Lâvi

Lia, 194, 280

Loqman A’ad, 99, 104

Lot. See Lôt

Lôt, the Prophet, 144, 145. His record, 148-155. His departure from the Mutafakât, or cities of the plain, 152. Details about him, 156

M.

Madian, People of, 300. Shoa’ib’s mission to them, 300, 301. Their destruction, 302

Madinah, xii.; notes 34 and 35; 225, 353

Mahalaleel, 67. See Mahallayil

Mahallayil, 67

Mahi-ud-din Maghrabi, 37, 377

Magog, 5. See Majûj

Majûj [Magog], Notice of, 122. Wall built against, 123. Its description, 123; note 116

Makarri’s history, 11, note *

Mâlek Bin Za’r, 217-224, 227, 228, 270

Mâmun, The Khalif, vii.

Manna, 369

Mariam, sister of Moses, 359, 360

Marriage of Adam and Eve, 45. The oration pronounced by God, 45

Marût, Story of, 75-78

Masu’di, note 63; 182, 183

Max Müller, Dr., note 40

Mekkah, note 34; 50, 170-172, 174, 353

Melikites, The [a sect of Christians], 6-8

Meynard, Barbier de, note 63

Michael the Angel, 41, 338

Mirkhond, the author, x., xi., 11. His preface, 15-24. How he wrote this book, 18-21. Its contents, 22, 23

Mosaic Law, The, 353, 354

Moses, 3, 14, 305. See Mûsa

Moslem, xi.

Moslems, 1, 2, 3

Muhâjers, The, 225; note 188

Muhammad Bin Almansûr Al-Nishapuri, 164

Muhammad Bin Esahâq, 59, 89, 98, 126, 288

Muhammad Bin Muhammad Shaharuzzi, 72

Muhammad, The Apostle, viii., xi., 2. His denial of working miracles, 9. His life, 13. Dedication to him, 17, 18, 31; notes 33, 34

Mujâhad, 165, 229

Mulâvi Makhdûmi, 235

Muqadasi, 97

Muqâtl, 89, 90

Mûsa [Moses], record of, 305. His birth, 307, 308. His mother, 308-310. Stories of his babyhood and youth, 310, 311. His flight from Egypt for killing a man, 312, 313. Meets Shoa’ib [Jethro], and his marriage, 314. His staff, 315, 316, 319. His starting to return to Egypt, 316. The fire near Mount Sinai, 317. His interview with God, 318, 319. His mission to Fara’ûn, 320. Harûn [Aaron] to assist him, 320. His going to Egypt, 322. His and Harûn’s visit to Fara’ûn, 323. His miracles, 325, 326, 328, 334. His departure with the Israelites, 335. His dividing and crossing of the sea, 337. His going to Sinai and what happened there, 342-346. His return, and his anger about the molten calf, 346, 347. The massacre of the calf-worshippers, 348. His return to Sinai, 348, 349. Goes again to Sinai, and asks to see God, 351. What happened there, 352, 353. His return to his people, 353. Erects the ark of the testimony, 355. Appoints Harûn to the office of Emâm, etc., 355. Further wanderings in the desert, 358. His appointment of a chief to each tribe, 359. His sentence on Qârûn, 363. Goes to the country of the Amalekites, 368. Kills Avuj. 368. Strikes the stone for water, 369. Goes to meet Khizer, 372. His adventures with him, 373-377. Is present at Harûn’s death, 378.

Mutafakât, or cities of the plain, 145; note 131; 149, 151, 152, 154

N.

Naphtali, 194. See Tha’bali

Naushirwan, vii.; note 29

Nebuchadnezzar. See Bakhtanassar

Nestorians, The [a sect of Christians], 6, 7

Newton, 8, note *

Nimrod. See Nimrud

Nimrud, Story of, 126. His attempts to prevent the birth of Ebrahim, 127, 128. His interview with Ebrahim, 134. His casting him into the fire, 137. The result, 139. His challenge to fight Ebrahim, 140, 143. His attempted ascents to heaven, 141, 142. The army of gnats, 143. Was bitten by one, 143. His order to Ebrahim to depart from Babel, 144. His death, 144

Nizami, 10; note 196

Noah. See Nûh

Nûh [Noah] the Confidant, Record VOL. I. of, 78-87. His ark, 81-84. Its inhabitants, 89. His external description and characteristics, 88. His miracles, 90. His mission, 91. His death, 91. Referred to, 170

O.

O’mar, 165, 225; note 187

Oriental Translation Fund, viii., ix., 11, note *; note 33 (a)

P.

Palmer, viii.

Paradise, Description of, 61-63

Passover, The, note 296. See Fasah

Pentateuch, The, 3, note *; note 67; 62, 225; note 187; 288

Persian, vii., viii., xii.

‘Persian Portraits,’ xii.; note 313

Pharaoh. See Fara’ûn

Plagues of Epypt, 330

Porson, 8, note *

Prophets, The, 3, note †

Psalms, The, 5; notes 67, 187

Q.

Qabats [Egyptians], The, 307; note 275; 309, 312, 329, 331, 336

Qabil [Cain], 14. Story of, 51-54. His sacritice, 52. Murder of Abel, 52, 53. The consequences, 54, 56

Qabus Bin Masâb, 285, 305

Qarravi, The [a sect of Jews], 3

Qârûn [Korah], Story of, 360-364

Qatfirnai, 227, 229

Qâzi Abd-ur-rahman-ajjâmi, 228

Qâzi Nassir-ud-din Beidhâvi, 63, 126

Qenan [Cainan], 67

Qitby, 147, 148

Qotâda, 89, 90, 229

Qurân, The [Koran], viii., xi., xii. Origin and source of all sacred and profane history among Moslems, 2; notes 67, 187. Many quotations from, see footnotes for chapter and verse

R.

Râa’il, or Zuleikha, 227

Rabbani, The [a sect of Jews], 3, 6

Rachel, 193. See Rahil

Rahil [Rachel], 193, 194, 197, 201, 261

Rahmat, wife of Job, 291, 295, 298, 300

Rass, The People of, 304

Rauzat-ullabâb, 126

Rauzat-us-safa, 11-13. Its contents, 22, 23

Rebecca, 189. See Rufqah

Rehatsek, E., xii.

Reuben, 194. See Rubil

Riân, son of Waleed, 228, 285, 305

Rieu, Dr., xi.

Rodwell, viii., 10, note *; notes 84, 86

Rubil [Reuben], 194, 200, 201, 209, 214, 226, 271

Rufqah [Rebecca], 189, 190, 192

Rûm, 191; note 169

S.

Sachau, Professor, xi.

Sâduq Al Muhammad, 169

Sa’id, son of Jabir, 165

Saida, wife of Ishmael, 184, 185

Salah the prophet, Record of, 111-120. His miracle, 112. Description of his person and qualities, 120. His age and his death, 120. His tomb, 121

Sale, George, viii., 10, note *; [notes 36, 84, 86, 148, 167]

Salmân Fârsi, the Persian, 26; note 28; 288; note 251

Sâm [Shem], 85, 86. His record, 97. His sons, 98. Their territories, 98

Sâmari, The [a sect of Jews], 3, 4

Sâmeri, 340, 344, 347

Sanân Bin Thabut Allashbuhi, 121

Sanscrit, viii.

Sarah, wife of Abraham, 144-146, 157, 163, 164. Her death, 174

Sari Bin Yahia, 288

Satan, 38; note 41; 46, 47. See Eblis

Savary, viii.

Sects, Seventy-two Muhammadan, note 73

Serpent, The, 46-48

Seth. See Sheth

Shadâd, Record of, 107-110

Shadeed, Record of, 107

Sharastani, 3

Shea, David, 13; note 101

Shekh Mahi-ud-din, 37, 377

Shem. See Sâm

Sheth [Seth], 58, 59, 65, 66

Shima’ûn [Simeon], 194, 208, 226, 262

Shoa’ib [Jethro], His record, 300. His mission, 301, 302. His death, 303. His description, etc., 303. His visit to Moses, 358

Simeon, 194. See Shima’ûn

Simum, The, 36; note 39

Sinai, Mount, 316, 317, 319, 342

Sirat, The bridge, 70; note 74

Society, Royal Asiatic, ix., x.

Solomon, 4. See Suleimân

Sonna, The, 63; note 71

Sprenger, Aloys, [notes 63, 71, 148, 223]

Sufis and Sufism, note 127; 177; [notes 286, 313]

Suhaba [Companions], note 66

Suleimân, 126

Syriac, vii.

T.

Tabari, 56, 65, 67, 80, 99, 140, 142, 147, 152, 153, 168, 191, 225, 237, 262, 291

Tâbi [Followers], 60; note 66

Table, The preserved, 35; note 36; 39, 351

Târikh-uz-zaman, 144

Testaments, The Old and New, xii., 3

Tha’bali [Naphtali], 194

Thalebi, 59, 288, 350

Thamûd, People of, 111-116. Their destruction, 117, 118

Translations, vii., viii.

Translator of this work, 14. The Persian text used by him, 14. His footnotes, 14

Translator’s Preface, 1-14

Tribes of Ya’qûb, Record of the, 194, 289

Trinity, The, 8, note *

U.

Uvlu-l-azm, 79; note 84; 88

V.

Valeed Bin Masab, 306. See Fara’ûn

Vân [Dan], 194

Vaqidi, 180

Venus, note 80; 133. See Zohra

W.

Wall of Zulqarneen, 123; [notes 116, 222]

Warakah Bin Nowfil, 2

Wisdom, House of, vii.

Wuhub Bin Muniah, 86, 240, 300

Y.

Yâfuth [Japheth], 85, 86. His record, 92. His sons, 92-96. Their territories and their doings, 92-96

Yahuda [Judah], 194, 206, 207, 209, 211, 264, 276, 286

Yajûj [Gog], Notice of, 122. Wall built against, 123. Its description, 123

Ya’qûb [Jacob], Story of, 192-197. His dream, 192. His going to Laban, 193. His marriage to Leah, 194. To Rachel, 194. His maid-servants, 194. His sons, 194. Story of the sheep, 195. His leaving Laban, 195. His meeting Esau, 196, 197, 199. His advice to Joseph, 199, 200. His mistrust of his other sons, 203. His grief for the loss of Joseph, 213, 216. His consent to his sons going to Egypt, 258. His grief about Simeon, 263; and about Benjamin, 271. His letter to the A’ziz, 272. His certainty about Joseph being alive, 277. His departure to Egypt, 278. His reception there, 279. His death, 281. His personal description, etc., 281. His burial, 282

Yashkhar [Issachar], 194

Yathrab. See Madinah

Yoshua [Joshua], 335, 340, 341, 366-368, 378

Yûnas [Jonah], note 84

Yusuf [Joseph], 14, 194. Story of, 198. His beauty, 199. His dreams, 199-203. His theft when a baby, 202. His brothers’ envy and hatred, 203. Ya’qûb’s refusal to let him go with them to the desert, 203, 205. His request to his father for permission to go, 206. His going with his brothers and what happened, 207-213. The story of the wolf, 214. His father’s lamentations, 213, 216. His sale to the merchants, 217-219, 227. His journey to Egypt, 227. What happened on the road, 220-222, 227. His sale by auction in Egypt, 223, 228. His purchase by the A’ziz of Egypt, 228. His adventures with Zuleikha, 229, 230, 233-243. His message to his father, 231. His imprisonment, 243, 245. His interpretation in prison of the dreams of the king s table-decker and cup-bearer, 245-247. His interpretation of the king’s dreams, 248-250, 252, 254. His appointment as A’ziz, 254. The famine years, 255, 256. His brothers come to Egypt, 257, 258. Their adventures there, 259-262. Their return to Canaan without Simeon, 262-264. Their return to Egypt with Benjamin, 264, 265. Their departure again, 266. The drinking-cup found in Benjamin’s luggage, 267. The shame and rage of his brothers and their return to the city, 267-270. What the cup said, 271. They return to Canaan without Benjamin and Reuben, 271. Correspondence between Jacob and Joseph as A’ziz, 272-274. Return of the brethren to Egypt, 274. Their recognition of Joseph, 275. Judah’s mission to Jacob, 276. The journey of the whole family to Egypt, 278. Their reception, 279. Joseph’s marriage with Zuleikha, 282, 283. His miracle, 283. The witness to his chastity, 284. His final instructions, 286. His death, 287. His personal description, etc., 287. His tomb, 288. Discovery of his tomb, 334. Removal of his coffin, 334, 335

Z.

Zabâlûn, 194

Zafar-namah, The, 96; note 100

Zartusht, 75

Zebulun, 194. See Zabâlûn

Zemzem Well, The, 159; note 147; 160, 183

Zend Avesta, 75

Zendiq, 75

Zohâk, 80, 108, 126, 229

Zohra, 76, 77

Zoroaster, 75. See Zartusht

Zuleikha, 227-230, 233-243, 248, 251, 252

Zulqarneen, Story of, 121, 122. Not Alexander the Grecian, 121. His deeds, 123-125. His description, 125, 126

END OF VOLUME I.