438 BaV amy's translation of the History of Tabary, [Oct, 



On comparing this book with the Persian translations of Tabary it 

 appears that the latter embodies the whole of the former. It is indeed 

 likely that the History of the prophets of Ghazzaly is nothing more 

 than an abridged edition of Tabary. This seems to be borne ont by 

 the circumstance that the invocation of God and of the prophet,* with 

 which every Mohammadan book begins, is literally the same in our 

 copy of Tabary and in Ghazzaly, only the words ^ ^•s= /0 ^x^ ^j1 JIJ* 

 45^1*/l jij<*> are omitted by the latter. In the same copy of Tabary 

 we find the beginning of the first chapter of Ghazzaly preceded by 

 the words " know that Abu Jafar Mohammad b. Jaryr Tabary says 

 in the beginning of his work." But in another copy of Tabary, this 

 passage is wanting, and there is a different invocation! of God and the 

 prophet. On the other hand, as the Persians have taken so great liber- 

 ties with their translation of Tabary, it is possible that they have 

 inserted the whole of Ghazzaly' s book into it. 



Be this as it may, this valuable MSS. enables us to restore a large 

 portion of our copies of Tabary ; moreover it is of great intrinsic 

 value ; it contains the passages of the Koran alluding to the ancient 

 prophets, most skilfully arranged and connected, and illustrated in a 

 natural manner and with great perspicuity. It is the only book which 

 gives us a clear view of Mohammad's notions of the prophets ; all other 

 Mohammadan books on the subject are filled with fables, which not only 

 belong to a later time but to different countries. Here is the index of 

 Ghazzaly' s history, J which differs but little from that of Tabary. 



1. Discussion on the object of the creation, fol. 4. 



2. Tradition of 'Abd Allah b. 'Abbas from the prophet on the descrip- 

 tion of sun and moon, fol. 7. 



3. Discussion on the duration of the world, fol. 9. 



4. Discussion on the creation and in how much time it was accom- 

 plished, 10. 



5. On the first inhabitants of the world, 14. 



* It begins : ^ ^0>» & tMjLWj Jjl Jr J*S J,*!! &U *+J\ 



t it begins : j*Jt *"*• <s d jji J* &* jw j^ ^ & u **k 



Jl 



c 



t An index to Tabary is contained in the Zeitschrift der Detschen Morgenl. 

 Gesellsch. II. 2. p. 159. See also DuCrux's translation of Tabary. 



