A Literary History of the Arabs Part 49

[243] Vv. 1-10 (Lyall), omitting v. 5.

[244] Vv. 55-60 (Lyall).

[245] The term _nabigha_ is applied to a poet whose genius is slow in declaring itself but at last "jets forth vigorously and abundantly"

(_nabagha_).

[246] _Diwan_, ed. by Derenbourg, p. 83; Noldeke's _Delectus_, p. 96.

[247] He means to say that Nu'man has no reason to feel aggrieved because he (Nabigha) is grateful to the Gha.s.sanids for their munificent patronage; since Nu'man does not consider that his own favourites, in showing grat.i.tude to himself, are thereby guilty of treachery towards their former patrons.

[248] _Diwan_, ed. by Derenbourg, p. 76, ii, 21. In another place (p.

81, vi, 6) he says, addressing his beloved:--

"Wadd give thee greeting! for dalliance with women is lawful to me no more, Since Religion has become a serious matter."

Wadd was a G.o.d worshipped by the pagan Arabs. Derenbourg's text has _rabbi_, _i.e._, Allah, but see Noldeke's remarks in _Z.D.M.G._, vol.

xli (1887), p. 708.

[249] _Aghani_, viii, 85, last line-86, l. 10.

[250] Lyall, _Ten Ancient Arabic Poems_, p. 146 seq., vv. 25-31.

[251] Ahlwardt, _The Divans_, p. 106, vv. 8-10.

[252] _?amasa_, p. 382, l. 17.

[253] Noldeke, _Beitrage zur Kenntniss der Poesie der alten Araber_, p.

152.

[254] Noldeke, _ibid._, p. 175.

[255] The original t.i.tle is _al-Mukhtarat_ (The Selected Odes) or _al-Ikhtiyarat_ (The Selections).

[256] Oxford, 1918-21. The Indexes of personal and place-names, poetical quotations, and selected words were prepared by Professor Bevan and published in 1924 in the E. J. W. Gibb Memorial Series.

[257] Ibn Khallikan, ed. by Wustenfeld, No. 350 = De Slane's translation, vol. ii, p. 51.

[258] See Noldeke, _Beitrage_, p. 183 sqq. There would seem to be comparatively few poems of Pre-islamic date in Bu?turi's anthology.

[259] Ibn Khallikan, ed. by Wustenfeld, No. 204 = De Slane's translation, vol. i, p. 470.

[260] Many interesting details concerning the tradition of Pre-islamic poetry by the _Rawis_ and the Philologists will be found in Ahlwardt's _Bemerkungen ueber die Aechtheit der alten Arabischen Gedichte_ (Greifswald, 1872), which has supplied materials for the present sketch.

[261] _Aghani_, v, 172, l. 16 sqq.

[262] This view, however, is in accordance neither with the historical facts nor with the public opinion of the Pre-islamic Arabs (see Noldeke, _Die Semitischen Sprachen_, p. 47).

[263] See Wellhausen, _Reste Arab. Heidentums_ (2nd ed.), p. 88 seq.

[264] _?amasa_, 506.

[265] _Ibid._, 237.

[266] _Diwan_ of Imru'u 'l-Qays, ed. by De Slane, p. 22 of the Arabic text, l. 17 sqq. = No. 52, ll. 57-59 (p. 154) in Ahlwardt's _Divans of the Six Poets_. With the last line, however, _cf._ the words of Qays b.

al-Kha?im on accomplishing his vengeance: "_When this death comes, there will not be found any need of my soul that I have not satisfied_"

(_?amasa_, 87).

[267] _Aghani_, ii, 18, l. 23 sqq.

[268] _Aghani_, ii, 34, l. 22 sqq.

[269] See Von Kremer, _Ueber die Gedichte des Labyd_ in _S.B.W.A._, _Phil.-Hist. Kla.s.se_ (Vienna, 1881), vol. 98, p. 555 sqq. Sir Charles Lyall, _Ancient Arabian Poetry_, pp. 92 and 119. Wellhausen, _Reste Arabischen Heidentums_ (2nd ed.), p. 224 sqq.

[270] I prefer to retain the customary spelling instead of Qur'an, as it is correctly transliterated by scholars. Arabic words naturalised in English, like Koran, Caliph, Vizier, &c., require no apology.

[271] Muir's _Life of Mahomet_, Introduction, p. 2 seq. I may as well say at once that I entirely disagree with the view suggested in this pa.s.sage that Mu?ammad did not believe himself to be inspired.

[272] The above details are taken from the _Fihrist_, ed. by G. Fluegel, p. 24, l. 14 sqq.

[273] Muir, _op. cit._, Introduction, p. 14.

[274] With the exception of the Opening Sura (_al-Fati?a_), which is a short prayer.

[275] Sprenger, _Ueber das Traditionswesen bei den Arabern_, _Z.D.M.G._, vol. x, p. 2.

[276] Quoted by Sprenger, _loc. cit._, p. 1.

[277] Quoted by Noldeke in the Introduction to his _Geschichte des Qorans_, 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 Hisham, 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 Mu?ammad and his followers, probably in consequence of the ceremonial ablutions which are inc.u.mbent upon every Moslem before the five daily prayers (see Wellhausen, _Reste Arab. Heid._, p. 237).

[284] Sir Charles Lyall, _The Words '?anif' and 'Muslim,'_ _J.R.A.S._ for 1903, p. 772. The original meaning of _?anif_ is no longer traceable, but it may be connected with the Hebrew _?anef_, '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 ?anifs will be found in Sir Charles Lyall's article cited above; Sprenger, _Das Leben und die Lehre des Mo?ammed_, vol. i, pp. 45-134; Wellhausen, _Reste Arab. Heid._, p.

238 sqq.; Caetani, _Annali dell' Islam_, vol. i, pp. 181-192.

[285] Ibn Hisham, p. 143, l. 6 sqq.

[286] _Aghani_, iii, 187, l. 17 sqq.