SAMUEL. Arabic Ishmawīl (اشمويل), or Shamwīl; Heb. שְׁמוּאֵל, referred to in the Qurʾān ([Sūrah ii. 247]) as “the prophet” to whom the Children of Israel said, “Raise for us a King, and we will fight for him in God’s way.”
Ḥusain, the commentator, says it is not quite certain who he was. He was either Yūshaʿ ibn Nūn, or Shamʿūn ibn S̤afīyā, or Ishmawīl. (Tafsīr-i-Ḥusainī, p. 65.)
The Kamālān give his name as Shamwīl, but say it was originally Ismāʾīl, and that the meaning is the same.
ṢANʿĀʾ (صنعاء). A city in al-Yaman, the Viceroy of which, Abrahatu ʾl-Ashram, an Abyssinian Christian, marched with a large army and some elephants upon Makkah, with the intention of destroying the Temple (see Qurʾān, [Sūrah cv].) in the year Muḥammad was born. Hence the year was known as that of the Elephant.
SANAD (سند). Lit. “That on which one rests, as a pillar or cushion.” An authority; a document; a warrant. A term used in Muslim law.
ṢANAM (صنم), pl. aṣnām. The word used in the Qurʾān for an idol, e.g. [Sūrah xiv. 38]: “Turn me and my sons away from serving idols.” [[IDOLS].]
SANCTUARY. The Prophet forbade putting a murderer to death in a mosque, but he may be taken by force from the mosque and slain outside the building. The same rule applies to persons guilty of theft. (Mishkāt, book iv. ch. viii.)
The custom of sanctuary was derived from the Levitical law of refuge. The six cities being established as cities of refuge for the involuntary manslayer. The altar of burnt offerings was also a place of refuge for those who had undesignedly committed smaller offences. ([Deut. xix. 11, 12]; [Joshua xx].) According to Lecky (European Morals, vol. ii. p. 42), the right of sanctuary was possessed by the Imperial statues and by the Pagan temples. Bingham (Antiquities, vol. ii. p. 554) says it seems to have been introduced into the Christian Church by Constantine.
SANDALS. [[SHOES].]
SAQAR (سقر). “A scorching heat.” According to the commentator, al-Bag͟hawī it is the special division of hell set apart for the Magi. It is mentioned thus in the Qurʾān:—