1848.] and Ghazzak/s History of the Prophets. 445 



and that we may obtain rain. They sent a man of the name of Loqman. 

 He was the eldest, the most influential, and the strongest man among 

 them, and was nearest to 'Ad in descent: he was Loqman son of 

 Loqaym and grandson of 'Ad, and was secretly united with the prophet 

 Hud. They also sent another man of the name of Marthad b. Sa'd 

 who professed the religion of Hud and who was equally one of their 

 chiefs ; there was another man with them of the name of Qayl, who 

 was an unbeliever and an adversary of Hud, but he was the greatest 

 chief of the three, they sent these three men with much cattle, sheep, 

 cows and camels, and they gave them orders to sacrifice them at Mak- 

 kah and to pray for rain from God. The distance to Makkah was 

 three days' journey, Hud said to the 'Adites : " O people, believe in me 

 that God may give you rain if you want it. Pray God for pardon, 

 then repent your sins and he will give you fair enjoyments, and he will 

 increase your strength." But they shut their ears to the admonitions 

 of Hud and dispatched these three men to the country of Makkah. 

 They had relations at Makkah who lived on the hill. The tribe of 

 Mo'awiyah b. Bokr received them as guests, and told them to enjoy 

 three days their hospitality and then to attend to the object of their 

 mission ; they spread the tables, gave them wine to drink and amused 

 them with the singing of slave girls. One whole month they spend in 

 drinking and did not think of their tribe. After the lapse of this time 

 their hosts became mindful that they had forgotten their tribe, and they 

 were sorry first, for the 'Adites were their relations, yet they were 

 ashamed to turn them out of their houses and make them attend to 

 their work. They therefore taught a song to the slave girls that they 

 might call to their mind in music the drought of their country. As 

 soon as the messengers had heard the singers mention their tribe their 

 memory was awoke and they said we have committed a great error in 

 forgetting our countrymen : they broke up in order to perform the 

 sacrifices. Marthad and Loqman who believed in Hud professed their 

 faith and said to Qayl who was an unbeliever, if our tribe was to believe 

 in Hud, it would rain by itself and there would be no need of these 

 sacrifices. Qayl knew that they believed in Hud ; he was not afraid 

 of the destruction of the tribe, and left them and went on the top of 

 the hill ; the place for sacrificing was on the hill of Mina. He killed 

 the sacrifices turned his face towards the heaven and said, O God of 



3 n 2 



