A Literary History of the Arabs

by Reynold Alleyne Nicholson

[277] Quoted by Nöldeke in the Introduction to his Geschichte des Qorâns, p 22.

[278] See especially pp. 28-130.

[279] Muhamm. Studien, Part II, p. 48 seq.

[280] The reader may consult Muir's Introduction to his Life of Mahomet, pp. 28-87.

[281] Ibn Hishám, p. 105, l. 9 sqq.

[282] This legend seems to have arisen out of a literal interpretation of Koran, xciv, 1, "Did we not open thy breast?"—i.e., give thee comfort or enlightenment.

[283] This name, which may signify 'Baptists,' was applied by the heathen Arabs to Muḥammad and his followers, probably in consequence of the ceremonial ablutions which are incumbent upon every Moslem before the five daily prayers (see Wellhausen, Reste Arab. Heid., p. 237).

[284] Sir Charles Lyall, The Words 'Ḥaníf' and 'Muslim,' J.R.A.S. for 1903, p. 772. The original meaning of ḥaniacute;f is no longer traceable, but it may be connected with the Hebrew ḥánéf, 'profane.' In the Koran it generally refers to the religion of Abraham, and sometimes appears to be nearly synonymous with Muslim. Further information concerning the Ḥanífs will be found in Sir Charles Lyall's article cited above; Sprenger, Das Leben und die Lehre des Moḥammed, vol. i, pp. 45-134; Wellhausen, Reste Arab. Heid., p. 238 sqq.; Caetani, Annali dell' Islam, vol. i, pp. 181-192.

[285] Ibn Hishám, p. 143, l. 6 sqq.

[286] Agháni, iii, 187, l. 17 sqq.