[17] See, for example, Joshua xi, 20; 1 Samuel xv, 33.
[18] S. Nilus in Migne, Patrol. græca, 79, lxxix, 611 seqq.
[19] The translation of salat by “prayer” gives rise to misunderstandings. It is a religious exercise performed according to strict rule, with set formulæ and ceremonies (bending of the body, prostration, etc.). Voluntary prayer is du’a.
[20] The historical works of this admirable scholar deserve the strongest recommendation, particularly his Culturgeschichte des Orients unter den Chalifen, 2 vols. Vienna, 1875-1877.
[21] Babylonia (Arab Irak) should not be included, as is often done, in the term Mesopotamia, which last should be restricted to the very different region to the north, known in Arabic as Jezira.
[22] The portions of northern Africa west of Egypt and the Moslem parts of western Europe (Spain).
[23] “All men are become Arabs” was said in the year 728 or 729, in reference to an Iranian stock converted to Islam. Those who thus spoke would have used the word Tadjik for Arab (vide supra, p. 4); the Arabic chronicle restores Arab.
[24] Goldziher has rendered a most important service by proving how slight the importance of this form is on purely historic grounds, and how everything that passed as valid in certain circles was ascribed without more ado to the prophet himself. See particularly Part II of his Muhammedanische Studien (Halle, 1890).
[25] But “the most precious heritage in art, poetry, and history, which the Greek spirit has bequeathed to us was never accessible to Orientals.” (T. J. de Boer, Geschichte der philosophie in Islam, Stuttgart 1901, p. 26.)
[26] The Arabs deserve great credit for the mere fact that they adopted that brilliant invention, the Hindu numerical system, and passed it on to the Europeans. It is singular that the latter continued so frequently to employ the extremely inconvenient Roman numerals.