With regard to this verse, al-Baiẓāwī says: “Abraham in a time of dearth sent to a friend of his in Egypt for a supply of corn: but the friend denied him, saying, in his excuse, that though there was a famine in their country also, yet, had it been for Abraham’s own family, he would have sent what he desired, but he knew he wanted it only to entertain his guests, and give away to the poor, according to his usual hospitality. The servants whom Abraham had sent on this message, being ashamed to return empty, to conceal the matter from their neighbours, filled their sacks with fine white sand, which in the East pretty much resembles meal. Abraham being informed by his servants on their return of their ill success, the concern he was under threw him into a sleep, and in the meantime Sarah, knowing nothing of what had happened, opening one of the sacks, found good flour in it, and immediately set to making bread. Abraham awaking, and smelling the new bread, asked her whence she had the flour. ‘Why,’ says she, ‘from your friend in Egypt.’ ‘Nay,’ replied the patriarch, ‘it must have come from no other than my friend, God Almighty.’ ” [[ABRAHAM].]
K͟HAMR (خمر). The word used in the Qurʾān for wine or anything that intoxicates.
[Sūrah ii. 216]: “They will ask thee about wine (k͟hamr), and games of chance: say in both is sin and profit to men, but the sin of both is greater than the profit of the same.”
By the orthodox, the term k͟hamr is generally held to include not only alcoholic drinks, but opium and other narcotics. Some understand it to include tobacco; hence the destruction of tobacco pipes in the streets of Makkah by the Wahhābīs. [[WAHHABI].]
K͟HĀN (خان). Persian. “A ruler; a chief.” A term used for the supreme ruler of small countries or provinces. The K͟hān of the Tartars. It is also one of the titles of the Sult̤ān of Turkey. It is also used for a caravansary or inn, being a corruption of the Persian k͟hanah, “a home.”
AL-K͟HANNĀS (الخناس). A demon mentioned in the Qurʾān, [Sūrah cxiv]. (the last chapter):—
“Say: I betake me for refuge to the Lord of men,
“The King of men,
“The God of men,
“Against the mischief of the stealthily withdrawing whisperer (al-k͟hannās),