1850.] of the original text of Tabary. 127 



gods in the most handsome manner. He has expressed when he read 

 a revelation, that they were the heavenly swans, and that their interces- 

 sion would be graciously received by God. The followers of Moham- 

 mad who had emigrated to Abessynia, heard that the Qorayshites had 

 prostrated themselves with Mohammad, and they were informed that 

 the Qorayishites had embraced the Islam. Some of them, therefore, 

 left Abessynia and others remained. The angel Gabriel came to 

 Mohammad and said, What hast thou done ? Thou hast read before 

 the people a sentence, which I have not brought to thee from God, 

 and thou hast said what thou hadst not been told. Mohammad was 

 exceedingly sorrowful at his error, and he feared the punishment of 

 God. God was merciful to him, and with a view of consoling him, and 

 to convince him that the fault was not so great, he revealed a verse to 

 him to show that there had not been a prophet nor a messenger before 

 him, who had not entertained desires and wishes like him, and that the 

 devil mixed with the wishes of former prophets his own inspirations in the 

 same manner as he (the devil) spoke through the tongue of Mohammad. 

 God abrogated the words prompted by the devil, and confirmed his own 

 revelation, viz. Thou art like some of the prophets and messengers, God 

 revealed to this purpose the words (Qoran 22, 51) : " We have sent no 

 messenger nor a prophet before thee, but if he had a desire of his own the 

 devil prompted him some thing (which had the appearance of a heavenly 

 inspiration,) consonant with his wishes, but God abrogates what Satan 

 prompts, and God confirms his signs, for God is knowing and wise." 

 In this manner God relieved his prophet from sorrow, and assured him 

 that he had no cause to fear, and he made void what Satan had prompt- 

 ed regarding the noble swans, and the efficacy of their intercession. 

 Instead of the words of Satan, God placed after the mention of al-Lat, 

 al-'Ozza and Manah, the verses which we now read in the Qoran, viz. 

 " Have you male children, and do you think that God has girls (the 

 idols were considered as the daughters of God, and to have daughters 

 was considered ignominious for a family among the Arabs), this is a 

 perverse division ! These (viz. al-Lat, al-'Ozza and Manah) are only 

 epithets of God, (al-Lat is the feminine of Allah ; 'Ozza of 'Azyz, high, 

 sublime, and Manah means merciful,) which you and your fathers have 

 given to the idols. God has not revealed (to me) concerning them 

 any thing to authorize their worship. They follow no other than a 



