402 Journal of the Astatic Society of Bengal. [June, 1907* 



rity of Al'Hasan son of Mahhuh^ on tlie authority of Ahu Ayyuh 

 Al-KharrSz (^^The Cobbler"), on the authority of Ahu ^Ubaydah 

 who said: **The Apostle of God (the Blessing and Peace of God 

 on him and his Family) once said, *The Menstruation of women is 

 an uncleanness that God has cast on them as a punisbment. I^ow 



women in the time of IsToah (on him be peace) used to mens- 

 truate but once a year; and this state of things continued till 

 certain bold women, seven hundred in number, went in jest and 

 dressed themselves in saffron- dyed apparel,^ and adorned them- 

 selves, and perfumed themselves, and so went out and spread 

 themselves over the country, sitting with men and taking a public 

 share in feasts, and standing up to prayer in the ranks of men. 

 So God cast on those particular -women a monthly menstruation 

 as a punishment. Then their blood flowed and they were driven 

 out from the midst of the men; and they continued to menstruate 

 once a month.' '' The narrator continues: " So He caused them to 

 be busied with their menstruation and so their naughtiness was 

 abated. The otber women who did not act as these did, con- 

 tinued to menstruate only once a year. The sons of those that 

 menstruated monthly took in marriage the daughters of tbose 

 that menstruated yearly, and so tbe races became mixed; and 

 their daughters menstruated once a month on account of * * 7' 

 while the children of those that menstruated only once a year 

 became fewer and fewer on account of the impurity of the blood. ^ 

 Thus the offspring of the one increased and of the other decreased." 



A similar tradition has also been related to us by Muhammad 

 «on of Ahu ^Ahd^'llah^ on the authority of Sahl son of Ziyad Al- 

 Adamij on the authority of Al-Hasan son of Mahhuh^ on the autho- 

 rities that are detailed above. 



Muhammad son of Jafar has related to us, on the authority 

 of Muhammad son of Ismd^ll^ on the authority of ^AU son of Ah 

 Haham,^ on the authority of Abu Jamilah^ on the authority of Jahir^ 

 who said : " We met a certain Companion of the Prophet (the 

 Peace and Blessing of God on him and his Family) and he related 

 to me, ' The daughters of prophets do not menstruate, for mens- 

 truation is nothing but a punishment ; and the first woman to 

 menstruate was Sarah, as a punishment for that which she did 

 unto Hagar.' " 







1 The colour tor gala days and pleawure-parcies. 



2 Kjc^l X^lfti^y meaning not clear. There is an evident omiasion. 

 ^ jwiit ^U^ meaning obscnre. 



