[60] The principal ceremonies performed by the pilgrims of Mecca have been touched upon in vol. II. p. 409, note 3; the throwing of stones takes place in the valley of Mina, where the devotees throw seven stones at three marks or pillars, in imitation of Abraham, who, meeting the devil in that place, and being disturbed by him in his devotions and tempted to disobedience, when he was going to sacrifice his son, was commanded by God to drive him away by throwing stones at him; though others pretend this rite to be as old as Adam, who also put the devil to flight in the same place, and by the same means.—(Sale’s Koran, Prel. Disc., p. 160.)
[61] Herbelot says that, according to the Muhammedans, their prophet had twenty-one wives, six of whom he repudiated, and five died before him; therefore ten remained.
[62] Chapter XXXIII. v. 47. has the following passage: “O prophet, we have allowed thee thy wives unto whom thou hast given their dower, and also the slaves which thy right hand possesseth, of the booty which God hath granted thee, and the daughters of thy aunts, both on thy father’s side, who have fled with thee from Mecca, and any other believing woman, if she give herself unto the prophet, in case the prophet desireth to take her to wife. This is a peculiar privilege granted unto thee above the rest of the true believers.”
[63] This reminds of Hakem, the moon-maker.—(See p. 3, [note 1].)
[64] The name of a magician said to have been contemporary with Moses. He is mentioned in the Koran, chap. XX. v. 87. Sale observes (vol. II. pp. 145. 146. N. 9.) that he was not, as the Muhammedans believe, one of the Samaritans, who were not then formed into a people, nor bore that name till many ages after. Selden is of opinion, that this person was no other than Aaron himself, called al Sameri, from the Hebrew word shamar, “to keep;” because he was the keeper, or guardian, of the children of Israel during the absence of his brother, Moses, on the mount.
[65] The Pentateuch, the Psalter, the Gospel, and the Koran.
[66] In the Transactions of the Literary Society of Bombay, vol. II. pp. 242-270, is to be found: “A Notice respecting the religion introduced by the Emperor Akbar, by Captain Vans Kennedy, written in 1818,” with an elegant, but in several places abridged, translation of the just-given disputes, between the doctors of the different religions, in form of a dialogue, accompanied with valuable remarks respecting the author of the Dabistán, of which I availed myself in several quotations in the Preliminary Discourse, as well as in this place.
[67] This refers principally to papers, such as passports, of the Portuguese, who, as I have been informed by Viscount Santarem, used to represent St. Catherine upon them, this saint being the patroness of Goa and of one of the principal confraternities; and the above-mentioned images are besides often used as ornaments of books and printed papers.
[68] Others translate: “two, and three, and four,” consequently nine wives; as the conjunction va, in Arabic, may mean or as well as and.—(See Transact. of the Lit. Soc. of Bombay, vol. II. p. 268.)
[69] The passage of the Koran favorable to temporary marriage is in chap. IV. v. 28: “For the advantage which you receive from them, give them their reward (assign them their dower), according to what is ordained: but it shall not be criminal to make any other agreement among yourselves, after the ordinance shall be complied with.” In this passage the word matâh occurs. This sort of marriage is also admitted in the Hédaya fil forú, “the Guide in the Branches of the Law” (translated into English by Charles Hamilton, 1791).