A Literary History of the Arabs

by Reynold Alleyne Nicholson

[267] Aghání, ii, 18, l. 23 sqq.

[268] Aghání, ii, 34, l. 22 sqq.

[269] See Von Kremer, Ueber die Gedichte des Labyd in S.B.W.A., Phil.-Hist. Klasse (Vienna, 1881), vol. 98, p. 555 sqq. Sir Charles Lyall, Ancient Arabian Poetry, pp. 92 and 119. Wellhausen, Reste Arabischen Heidentums (2nd ed.), p. 224 sqq.

[270] I prefer to retain the customary spelling instead of Qur’án, as it is correctly transliterated by scholars. Arabic words naturalised in English, like Koran, Caliph, Vizier, &c., require no apology.

[271] Muir's Life of Mahomet, Introduction, p. 2 seq. I may as well say at once that I entirely disagree with the view suggested in this passage that Muḥammad did not believe himself to be inspired.

[272] The above details are taken from the Fihrist, ed. by G. Fluegel, p. 24, l. 14 sqq.

[273] Muir, op. cit., Introduction, p. 14.

[274] With the exception of the Opening Súra (al-Fátiḥa), which is a short prayer.

[275] Sprenger, Ueber das Traditionswesen bei den Arabern, Z.D.M.G., vol. x, p. 2.

[276] Quoted by Sprenger, loc. cit., p. 1.